Karen Ann (DiPalma) DeBerry's Obituary
Karen Ann (DiPalma) DeBerry passed away peacefully surrounded by family on the (5th 0f December, 2024) at age 77. She was born on February 28,1947 to Velma “Bernice” (Clay) Looper DiPalma and Woodrow Looper. She was lovingly adopted by Andrew DiPalma At age 7, in 1954 in Los Angeles, California. Shortly afterwards they moved to the Sacramento California area where she attended elementary school, junior high, and graduated from Encina high school. Karen loved animals and raised rabbits in a specially designed air-conditioned garage her father Andy built for her. She was active in school performing in ballet, as a band marionette and gymnastics. Her love of gymnastics followed her into adulthood as she enjoyed watching them during the Olympics.
Her grandmother and her had an especially close relationship. In high school she would often spend weekends with her learning to sew and crochet as her grandmother was an accomplished seamstress. Karen was always beautifully dressed, most of the clothing Karen enjoyed during her school years were designed and custom-made by her grandmother.
She was married one year after she graduated high school on September 24,1966 to Carley DeBerry. She went on to college and became an x-ray technician. A few years after marriage she and Carley started their family having three children. They bought several small farms over the years where she continued her deep love of animals, often taking in unwanted, hurt or abandoned animals. She nurtured elderly horses, goats, and various unusual pets over the years, at one time a baby skunk, chipmunk and a tortoise Carley found at various times on the road side. She raised and milked goats, collected eggs, made bread from scratch and helped grow a substantial garden for her family. She enjoyed life surrounded by fruit and nut trees and studying herbs.
She loved sharing beautiful things. She had an appreciation for anything antique and was able to see the potential in old furniture and art. She was a master floral arranger and often volunteered her time in later years going to the flower market in San Francisco and doing floral arranging for weddings. She eventually bought her own floral shop where she thoughtfully displayed and sold her unique antique furnishings. She was a generous and caring person. She often made and donated large beautiful floral arrangements for assemblies and funeral floral arrangements for families in her congregation.
She is a faithful member of her organization and has spent many years of service pioneering and sharing the truth of Jehovah to everyone she had the pleasure of visiting with over the years.
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