Karen (Kay) Harlan Schouweiler

Karen (Kay) Harlan Schouweiler, 97, died Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at Madonna Towers Skilled Nursing Facility, Rochester, MN.

Mom was born in Antigo, WI on November 15, 1928, to George and Leah (Groat) Nelson. Mom’s mother passed away shortly after mom’s fourth birthday. Her death was due to pneumonia as a result of being outside in the bitter cold helping a homeless family who was living in a tent. Following her mother’s death, mom lived with her grandparents, Christian and Effie Nelson, in Albert Lea, MN, as her father was unable to care for her alone. Her father remarried and in 1938, mom moved to St. Peter to live with her father, stepmother, and new baby brother, Jack. Mom always attributed her positive attitude, strong spirit, fierce independence and unmated gift of sarcastic wit and humor to the challenges she faced while growing up.

In 1946 after living in St. Peter, Albert Lea, Mankato, and Owatonna, mom moved to Rochester. She enrolled in the nursing program at St. Marys Hospital. She worked at St. Marys Hospital, the Mayo Clinic, and was the neighborhood daycare provider.

On May 29, 1950, mom married Charles (Chuck) Harlan at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Owatonna, MN. They raised their five children in the Sunnydale neighborhood in Rochester, MN. Dad passed away in 1986. On December 30, 1989, she married Leo Schouweiler at Resurrection Catholic Church in Rochester, MN. Leo passed away in 2016.

Mom followed in her mother’s footsteps for caring about and volunteering with the homeless population. She was a volunteer for 35 years at the original homeless shelter in Rochester, The Dorothy Day House, where she was loved and respected by the guests and fondly known as “Miss Kay”. She also volunteered at Salvation Army, United Way, St. Marys Hospital Library, and Meals on Wheels. Mom was an Unsung Hero and was awarded the Certificate of Excellence in 2007 for outstanding community service. Everyone was an equal in mom’s eyes.

Mom’s passions were her family, volunteering, walking, and bike riding the Rochester trails and beyond (she proudly rang her bicycle bell as she passed everyone), exercising at the Y, tending her many flower gardens (she grew amazing geraniums), doing word search puzzles, reading, and making her famous Scotcharoo bars from her secret recipe. She walked many benefit walks and rode her bike to age 86.

Surviving are her daughters, Colleen (Mike) Wiginton of Stewartville, MN; Julie (Dave) Chapman of South St. Paul, MN; Jane (Dan) Lindahl of Rochester, MN; son, Michael (Karen) Harlan of Watertown, SD; 10 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren; and 1 great-great grandchild; good friend, Marcy Jensen (fondly known as daughter #4) and many other special friends. Also surviving are Leo’s children and their families: Janice Lewis of Plainview, MN and Mary (Jay) Siewert of Byron, MN. Mom was preceded in death by her parents; husbands; son, John Charles Harlan; brother, Jack Nelson; sister-in-law, Sharon Nelson, and Leo’s daughter, Margaret Schneider.

Our family would like to thank the Madonna Community, especially the Skilled Nursing staff which includes nurses, CNAs, receptionists, culinary, PT, housekeeping, and the residents for their wonderful care and friendship during mom’s final years. We would also like to thank Mayo Hospice for helping mom through her final journey.

Mom’s service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 5, 2026, in the main chapel at Madonna Towers, Rochester, MN. Following the service, light refreshments will be served. Family requests no flowers for the service.

On the road to wherever, if you hear a bicycle bell ringing and “Passing on your left”, look up and smile….It’s Miss Kay riding by.

Love you mom, enjoy the ride! We’ll catch up!