Karen Marie Anfang

Karen Marie Anfang was born Dec. 14, 1944 in New Ulm, MN to Delbert and Helen Pagel. She passed from this world on June 15, 2024 and began re-organizing the afterlife, as those of you who knew her will understand. There are no truer words than those spoken by her granddaughter, “She was a force and will truly be missed.”

Karen grew up and attended Cathedral High School in New Ulm, and was crowned Miss Congeniality. She went to Mankato State but was unable to complete a full year due to illness. She then married Richard Wilbrecht (10 years) and had three children: Lisa (Tony) Montoya, Steven Wilbrecht, Beth (Jimmie) Johnson. While raising a family, she used her artistic abilities working for a professional photographer doing touch up with paints. She began sewing, making many of her children’s clothes and as the years went on became a skilled seamstress and quilter. There wasn’t a pattern she wouldn’t tackle and if it didn’t suit her needs, she made her own. She was also a Boy Scout leader for her son’s troop.

She was then united in marriage to Philip Anfang (28 years) and welcomed his six children, Michael, Stephen, Laura, Katie, Patrick, and Becky into the family. Karen and Phil, along with her three children moved multiple times over the years, going to Wyoming (Rawlins), back to Minnesota (Pine City, Mankato) and then back to Wyoming (Wheatland, Evanston) eventually settling back in Wheatland. Karen loved the outdoors, especially the mountains, spending much of her time cross-country skiing, camping, hiking, rock hunting, and later in life, bird-watching.

When it came to work, she wore many hats. She was employed at a jewelry store in Rawlins and worked for the school system in Pine City and Mankato. In Wheatland, she worked in the counselor's office at the high school and the rock quarry office. While in Evanston, she worked in accounts payable/receiving for Bechtel Engineering. When the kids finished high school, she and Phil moved to Casper where she went to work for the school district in accounts payable. After retirement, she and Phil moved to Mesquite, NV, where she became a CNA working at the nursing home.

After Phil’s passing, she came back to Casper to be near her children and grandchildren. She married Jim Brown in 2010 and added his two sons to the family. She and Jim became world travelers. She had a beautiful voice, singing as a song leader at church and was very involved in the Casper Civic Choral. She was the treasurer for the GEO wives and planned several Murie Audubon Society banquets. She and Jim loved walking their dogs and bird-watching at Edness Kimball Wilkins State Park. She was very instrumental in getting an osprey nesting pole erected in the park. Karen loved to entertain and cook, always hosting various get-togethers. She never saw a recipe she wouldn’t try. She took great pride in her gardening and canning, including making horseradish. She never missed anyone’s birthday or the opportunity to send a thank you note.

She is preceded in death by her second husband Phil Anfang, her father Delbert Pagel, grandson Ty Montoya, and son-in-law Jimmie Johnson.

She is survived by her husband Jim Brown and his two sons Matt (Diana) and Andrew, her first husband Richard Wilbrecht and their three children, Lisa (Tony) Montoya, Steven Wilbrecht, Beth (dec. Jimmie) Johnson, her mother Helen Pagel, two sisters, Carolyn (Larry) Earl, Margaret Harpestad, and brother Dohn (Cheryl) Pagel, her second husband's children Michael, Stephen, Laura, Katie, Patrick and Becky. She also leaves behind many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held July 3rd at 11am at Newcomer’s Funeral Home with a reception to follow at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 1040 W 15th. Internment will be at a later date in New Ulm, MN.

Karen's service will be livestreamed at the scheduled service time. Click here to view the service.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in her honor to:

Murie Audubon Society
PO Box 2112
Casper, WY 82602

Central Wyoming Hospice and Transitions
319 S Wilson St.
Casper, WY 82601

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