Karen Lee (Crouse) Woody

Karen Lee Woody, 84, a resident of Gooding, passed away on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at DeSano Place Assisted Living in Gooding.

Karen was born in Casper, Wyoming 1941 the daughter of Emery and Gladys (Kear) Crouse. At the age of 3, she was adopted by her Aunt Maude Knight and moved to Vallejo, California where she graduated from Vallejo in 1959.

She attended Dental School in San Francisco, graduated and moved to Rupert, Idaho where she went to work for a local dentist. Later, she moved to Sun Valley where she met Lyons “Pete” Woody while visiting his Aunt and Uncle. Love at first site and 3 months later the couple were married on January 26, 1961 in Gooding, Idaho where they farmed for one year. The couple moved to Memphis, Tennessee for Pete’s training for the Navy. Pete and Karen then moved to Point Mugu, California for the Navy where they lived and raised their first child.

A few years later found them in the Seattle area where Karen worked in a nursing home and Pete Boeing. Pete and Karen would move back to Pete’s home town of Hagerman, Idaho and adding to their growing family 2 sons. Karen took pride in raising her family.

Our Mom and Dad loved many adventures from camping, hunting and fishing and then in 1974 they sold their home in Hagerman and with their daughter 11, sons 2 and 6 weeks old and a small camp trailer they took to a long road trip to Alaska via the Al-Can highway during the summer months. The trip later found them in Heron, Montana where they bought 16 acres from their Uncle and raised their children. Karen enjoyed gardening, riding horses with Sis Ballenger her cousin, snow mobiles and camping. Karen also had many jobs while living in Montana from driving school bus and being the Clerk for the Heron School to working as a teller for the Heron Store to finally working for the Asarco Silver mine in Troy, Montana.

Retired and missing their children, they moved to Paradise Valley between King Hill and Glenns Ferry Idaho where they traveled to see their grandchildren participate in their many sports. In 2016 they made one more move to Challis, Idaho where Karen enjoyed the scenery and deer walking through their property.

Karen will be remembered as a loving, caring wife, mother and grandmother who always had a smile and kind word. She will be greatly missed but is finally with her loving husband in heaven.

She is survived by daughter Leela Schafer of Nampa, Idaho; son’s Donald (Rachel) Woody of Wellsville, Utah and Timothy (Carmen) Woody of Ormond Beach, Florida; seven grandchildren: In order Rebecca, Halee, Chelsea, David, Jacob, Sydney and Vinny; Great Grandchildren: Henry, Harry, Asher, Archer, Ellie, Walker, Weston and three more soon to arrive; sister Annetta Freeman, brother Walter Crouse.

Karen was preceded in death by her husband Pete, her parents, two brothers Donny and Stanley Crouse, and adopted mother Maude Knight.

A memorial service will be held at Glenns Ferry at the First Baptist Church of Glenns Ferry on May 9th 11am. A private lunch for family will follow.

Cremation arrangements are under the care and direction of Demaray Funeral Service - Gooding Chapel.

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