Karen E. Reber

Karen Elaine Reber (Luke), age 84, passed away peacefully in Kalispell, Montana on December 13, 2025.

Karen was born on April 10, 1941, in Whitefish, Montana, to her parents, Irma (Jones) Luke and Charles Everett “Ike” Luke. Whitefish shaped her spirit and remained the place her heart returned to throughout her life. A place that reflected her deep love of mountains, snow, and the quiet beauty of nature.

As a young girl, Karen could often be found riding her beloved horse, Penny, soaking up the sunshine along the shores of Whitefish Lake, or skiing the slopes of Big Mountain. These early passions grew into a lifelong love of the outdoors, adventure, and the mountains that always called her home.

Karen moved to Missoula to attend St. Patrick’s School of X-Ray, graduating as an X-ray technician in 1961. That same year, she met the love of her life, Dennis Dean Reber of Missoula, Montana. They were married on September 2, 1961, beginning a partnership rooted in love, devotion, and shared dreams.

Their first child, Dawn, was born in 1961 in Missoula. In 1962, Karen and Dennis moved to Oceanside, California, before settling in Sacramento, where Dennis served in the United States Navy. Together they built a full and meaningful life. Later, they purchased property in Shelter Cove, California, holding close their dream of one day retiring and building a cabin there.

Their family grew with the births of Scott in 1963 and Marci in 1967. Karen’s family was her greatest pride and deepest joy. She devoted herself fully to those she loved. She was the heart of her family—the steady presence, the organizer, the listener, and the glue that held generations together. Her love was steady, generous, and unwavering.

She found great joy in bringing people together, often hosting work Christmas parties filled with lovingly prepared seafood and festive cocktails, including her cherished homemade Kahlúa. These gatherings reflected her generous spirit, hospitality, and love for creating meaningful moments with others.

Karen carried a lifelong passion for skiing and adventure, traveling the world in pursuit of snow-covered mountains and unforgettable experiences. She journeyed to New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Paris, Mexico, the Caribbean, Amsterdam, and Thailand. Wherever she traveled, she found joy, freedom, and peace.

After the passing of her husband, Dennis, Karen continued raising her family in California. As her grandchildren grew, many returned to Montana. Drawn by family and the familiar mountains of her youth, Karen eventually followed, returning home to Whitefish.

In her spare time, Karen loved to read, work crossword puzzles, and give back to her community. She generously volunteered with the Soroptimist of Whitefish, always finding ways to serve others.

In her later years, Karen faced dementia with grace, dignity, and quiet strength. Though the illness slowly took pieces of her memory, it never diminished the love she gave or the deep bond she shared with her family. Even as words and moments faded, her spirit, warmth, and the role she played in her family’s life remained unmistakable.

Karen is survived by her siblings, Ronald (Donna) Luke and Linda Luke; her son Scott Reber; her grandchildren, Cori Armaly (Riley), Bobby (Breana) Reber, Kelli Olsen, Gary Armaly, Kayla (Jason) Suchy, Danielle Olson, and Ryan Acosta; and her great-grandchildren, Nathen, Allison, London, Garrett, Solomon, Timber, Bellatrix, and Maverick.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Irma and Charles “Ike” Luke; her husband and first love, Dennis Reber; her daughters, Dawn Armaly and Marci Reber; her sisters, Stephanie and Pamela Luke; her Uncle Eddie Luke; her niece Kimberly Luke; and her great-nephew Justin King.

Though she will be deeply missed, Karen’s legacy lives on in the lives she shaped, the memories she created, and the family she held together for a lifetime. She was lovingly met at the gates of heaven by those she had missed for so long—reunited in peace, love, and eternal rest.

A celebration of life will take place in the spring; details will be shared at a later date.