Karin Von Lee

Karin Von (Preblich) Lee, age 81, passed away peacefully at Kaiser in Santa Rosa, California on February 18, 2024. She was surrounded by her sons, husband, family, and friends.

Karin was a wonderful grandmother, mother, wife, and friend to everyone she met. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Gary Lee, her two sons Brian (Jeannie) Lee of El Dorado Hills, CA, and Michael (Janette) Lee of Carmichael, CA along with her three grandchildren Kristen, Michael, and Jessica.

Karin was born on September 8, 1942, in Vallejo, California. As a child she moved to Rincon Valley, where she attended Whited Elementary, Herbert Slater and was in the second graduating class at Montgomery High School. While attending Montgomery High School, she met her husband who was enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College. She later graduated from Santa Rosa Junior College with her AA degree.

Karin worked at the Santa Rosa Credit Union as an Account Clerk before becoming a stay-at-home mother raising her two sons. When her youngest son was promoted from Madrone Elementary, she began working as a teacher’s assistant at the school. Karin also enjoyed being the baseball, basketball, football, and soccer mom. She frequently helped the neighborhood children when the need arose.  All of Michael and Brian’s friends absolutely loved her. 

Karin had a love of travel – taking trips and cruises to Europe and Alaska as well as yearly winter trips to warm weather climates such as Maui and Palm Springs.  She loved playing cards and board games, especially backgammon and pinochle.

Karin was always positive and cheerful.  She was also a devout Catholic attending weekly mass at St. Eugene’s and then Holy Spirit.  She was the first to volunteer for various causes which included working at St. Vincent DePaul, Holy Spirit, St. Eugene’s Church, the Welfare League, and the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts.

She is preceded in death by her father Joseph Preblich and mother Varian Preblich.

A funeral mass will be celebrated at Holy Spirit Church located at 1244 St. Francis Rd., Santa Rosa, CA 95409 on Thursday, March 14th at 10:00am. A reception will be held immediately following mass. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donating under Karin's name to St. Vincent DePaul of Sonoma County https://www.svdp-sonoma.org.  

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