Karen Dean

On April 18, 2025, Karen Lee (Schott) Dean, 74, of Sacramento, California passed away, held close by her loved ones, and the skilled, caring staff of Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, California.

Born in Dowagiac, Michigan, on March 19, 1951, Karen was the youngest of Daniel and Donna (Gard) Schott's four children. She graduated from Dowagiac Union High School and attended Kellogg Community College to join the then-nascent field of computer programming, in which she worked for decades, satisfied by solving problems and documenting solutions.

On May 17, 1980, Karen married Mark Dean, and together they took great joy in their family, raising two kids, who have declared Karen World's Best Mom for 45 straight years! She enjoyed road trips in the convertible to the San Francisco Bay area with Mark, spending warm afternoons floating in the swimming pool with her sister, and completing colorful jigsaw puzzles. And, she would never say no to a game of Yahtzee! While Karen endured multiple disruptive health conditions for many years, she was quick to offer a smile or a hug. She demonstrated unwavering generosity, patience, and determination, inspiring others to do the same.

Karen was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother Randall Schott. She is survived by her husband Mark, her children Jessica (Ian) Johnson and Lindsay Dean, her sister Diane McCane, and her brother Bruce Schott.

Her memorial service will be held at Harry A. Nauman & Son Funeral Home at 4041 Freeport Blvd. in Sacramento, California on May 2, 2025 at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests you consider a charitable gift in Karen's honor to your favorite organization, and appreciates your fond memories and expressions of sympathy shared online at legacy.com.