Susan grew up in a loving home with her parents and four siblings Sharon, Jackie, Tim and Tom. Susan spent her school years and graduated from OHS in Owatonna, MN. Susan spent a short time in nursing school until she met and fell in love with Harley Karsten, whom she later married. They would remain married for 53 years. Together they had three children Julie, Deborah and Jeff. Susan was a great and loving mother who also worked outside the home for many years until abruptly losing her sight in 2002, and even then she continued to be right alongside her husband Harley, helping keep books, collect rental fees and anything she was able to do to keep busy. Susan loved the Lord and never hesitated to tell anyone how great the and mighty our God is. Susan was a member of Wolfforth United Methodist Church and attended regularly when she was in better health. The most important things in life for her were her husband, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She smiled proudly being able to watch them grow. All of her grandchildren loved her stories, both those she was able to read but most importantly those she thought and made up from the freakie-deeks to Ogen the rabbit. It gave her great joy to watch them graduate, get married, and have babies. Susan was diagnosed in November 2015 with Stage IV lung cancer that had spread outside of the lungs and even with that diagnosis, she was determined to fight and told everyone from her family, Dr’s and acquaintances, “I am a fighter, I want to live”. She fought a good fight and gave it her all, ending her battle on April 15, 2016. She lives pain free, illness free and her only diagnosis now, is a Blessed and everlasting life with the Lord. Survivors include her husband, Harley Karsten; their children, Julie Carrillo, Debbie Mullenax and husband, Lonnie, and Jeff Karsten and wife, Mary; grandchildren, Jessica Gonzalez and husband, Luke, Cassie Karsten, Gerald Carrillo and wife, Amanda, Jeffrey Karsten, Cody Carrillo, Courtney Garcia and Jose, Lonnie Mullenax and wife, Shanna, Lyndsi Stewart and husband, Kolby, Mitchell Kartsen, Rylee Kartsen, Mark Salinas and wife, Jennifer, Erika Salinas,; 13great-grandchildren; siblings, Shari Frank, Jackie Klepetka, Tom Zimmerman and wife, Cathy, Tim Zimmerman and wife, Becky. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alger and Irene Zimmerman. The family would like to thank UMC SouthWest Cancer Center, Dr. Torrez, Dr. Fanasch and Encompass Home Health for their kindness and compassionate care through this difficult journey.
