Karma Kesler Shaw Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Karma Kesler Shaw, age 85, of Provo, Utah, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 1, 2020 at the Welcome Home Assisted Living Center in Pleasant Grove, Utah. She passed away from a rapid growing malignant brain tumor called Glioblastoma. Karma was born November 6, 1934 in Burley, Idaho to Emma Alice Goodfellow and Clarence Ray Kesler. She was a farm girl and learned the lesson of “hard work” from a very young age. She would haul buckets of water, churn butter, gather eggs, clean the chicken coup, weed the garden, and prepare, plant, and harvest potatoes. She spent many hours getting together and playing with her brothers, sisters, and cousins. They became very close from all their interactions and activities. She attended Southwest Grade School in Burley, Idaho. Her family then moved to Nyssa, Oregon when Karma was about 12 years old. There she finished her 7th through 12th grade, having graduated from Nyssa High School. She excelled in typing and participated in orchestra, Girls Athletic Association (GAA), Future Homemakers of America (FHA), and Girls League. Every summer while in high school, Karma worked at Owyhee Produce Company and American Fine Food Company. She sorted potatoes, graded onions, and ran a corn shucker. She also played softball on a semi-professional team called the Satinettes. After high school, Karma worked as a nurse’s aide at Malheur Memorial Hospital in Nyssa. After that she worked for Red Cross and Blue Shield doing insurance work. Soon after, she started working for Dr. Louie A. Maulding, who was the family physician, as a receptionist for 16 years. Karma graduated with her Associates Degree in Humanities from Treasure Valley Community College, then moved to Provo in 1970 and attended school at Brigham Young University. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Health Science (Phi Kappa Phi and Valedictorian for the department of Health Science) in 1972, which was the first class to graduate from the newly built Marriot Center. In that same year, she participated in the Provo Utah Temple dedication. Karma continued her education at BYU and received her Master’s Degree of Health Education in 1973. After receiving her Master’s Degree, she started working at the McDonald Health Center at BYU and worked there until she retired in December 1996. She met Thomas Arland Shaw (Arland) in 1981 and they were later that year married, on November 24, 1981 in the Provo Utah Temple. Karma and Arland took many trips together. They owned two horses (Ginger and Missy) and loved to ride them. They spent many weekends fishing and camping and also found time to attend the temple once per week. Karma took care of Arland for about two years after he had some mini strokes and heart problems. Arland passed away in August 1998. She called the time with Arland “wonderful years”. Karma never had children of her own and loved Arland’s three sons as her own. She became an instant mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother. Karma was always an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In January 1999, Karma became a temple worker in the Provo Utah Temple. This is where she desired to be and served there until June of 2015. She also served as a Relief Society President at the Cove Point Branch in Provo, Utah. Karma held many other callings in the church and was currently serving on the Compassionate Service Committee of the Grandview 5th Ward. Karma and Arland loved to garden together and she continued her vegetable garden after Arland died. Karma kept the yard immaculate and pristine. It wasn’t a competition 😉 but she always had the greenest grass on the block. Karma loved to travel and had a few good friends that she could travel with and she also met many new friends while traveling. Karma visited many countries and traveled within the US to many sites of interest to her. If you didn’t know this, Karma had a passion for BYU sports and always kept a schedule of the games−not just one of the BYU sports, but many of them−next to her chair in her living room. She was also an avid fan of the Jazz Basketball team. Karma always welcomed you at her door and made you feel welcomed and loved. She was always happy to have visitors and always offered you something. She fed a lot of family and friends; when she was feeding you, she had a knack of getting you to eat more even if you were full. She always offered more even after that. Karma was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence Ray Kesler and Emma Alice Goodfellow; husband, Thomas Arland Shaw; 2 sisters, Sally Kesler and Nancy Bunn; brothers-in-law, Jay Bunn and Neil Petterson. Also preceding Karma in death are Arland’s sisters, Ruth, Ilene, and Millie; her stepson, Arland LaKay Shaw; granddaughter, Jana Lynn Shaw and grandson, Arland Kay Thomas Shaw (Little Kay). Given the current circumstances, a public funeral service will not be held. To view the webcast of the funeral service and to leave condolences for the family please go to www.bergmortuary.com. View Webcast: https://webcasts.lifetributes.com/1062994

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Karma Kesler Shaw

November 6, 1934 - April 1, 2020