Karen Degnan
Karen Rose Degnan (née Kronenwetter)
November 18, 1946 – July 24, 2025
Karen Rose Degnan passed away peacefully on July 24, 2025, in Raleigh, North Carolina, at the age of 78. Born in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of the late Ambrose E. Kronenwetter and Eileen J. Kronenwetter (née Samick).
She met the love of her life, Lee Degnan in Rochester, NY. Together they raised four boys and built a life that was full of laughter, loud opinions, late-night card games, grit, and the kind of chaos only four Irish Catholic boys can deliver.
Karen worked as a health teacher and remained involved in her local church. She loved ballroom dancing and was a gifted pianist who shared the joy of music by teaching neighborhood children.
She was a formidable Scrabble player who could triple-word-score you into submission with a sweet smile and the kind of laugh that sounded like it had lived a thousand lives. Her humor, sharp mind, and kind heart were constants in the lives of those who knew and loved her.
Karen was preceded in death by her husband, Lee Degnan. She is survived by their children: Sean and his wife, Mandi; Ryan and his wife, Fiona; Terence and his wife, Melanie; and Casey and his wife, Lynn. She was a proud and loving grandmother to Hippie, Madeline, Lola, Thomas, Leo, Cassius, Roan, and Kathleen.
She is also survived by her siblings: Donald Kronenwetter and his wife, Libby; Mary Kay Jeselnick and her husband, James; Judy Krick and her husband, David; Sandra Quiggle and her husband, Thomas; Amy Gruis and her husband, Brian; and Lesa Kime and her husband, Jeffrey.
A celebration of Karen’s life will be held on Sunday, July 27, 2025 at Transitions LifeCare from 12PM-1PM (address below). Reception will follow from 1PM-3PM at 4905 Boulder Creek Lane, Raleigh, NC 27613, where family and friends are invited to gather, share stories, and honor Karen’s memory together.
Transitions LifeCare, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Transitions LifeCare, whose compassionate support meant so much during Karen’s final days.