Karen Baxter

Karen Marie Baxter of Durango, Colo., passed away on Saturday morning May 25, 2013. She was 52. She was born November 23, 1960, in Cortez, Colo., a daughter of Bill Smart and the late Karyl (Humphreys) McCutcheon. Karen was a lifelong Cortez/Durango resident and a graduate of Cortez High School with the class of 1980. She married Jeff Baxter in Cortez on February 23, 1979. Karen was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. Her greatest joys were taking care of her family. She was cheerful, outgoing, a social butterfly, willing to help others, carefree and selfless. She also loved her animals, gardening (roses), traveling with her husband and simply spending time with her friends and family. She is survived by her loving and dedicated husband of 34 years, Jeff Baxter, son Thadius (Britta) Baxter and granddaughter, Raecyn, of Fredericksburg, Va., son Kyle (Faith) Baxter and grandchildren Seth and Aspen of Durango, her siblings, Kathy Shether of Cortez and Bruce (Cindy) Smart of Cortez, and several nieces and nephews. At Karen's request, the visitation and memorial will be a public event for all friends and family and will be held at Hood Mortuary at 1261 E. 3rd Ave, Durango, CO 81301, on Thursday, May 30, 2013. The visitation will be from noon - 5 p.m., with the memorial service starting at 6 p.m. A private graveside burial will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the La Plata County Humane Society, 1111 South Camino del Rio, Durango, CO 81303: http://www.lpchumanesociety.org/donateonline.html