Karen Mae (Spangler) McConnell

January 27, 1948 - January 29, 2021

Karen Mae (Spangler) McConnell passed into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ early in the morning on January 29th, 2021, two days after her 73rd birthday. Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Karen spent her days caring for those closest to her. She sought God’s presence in all things and loved others sacrificially. After losing her dear husband Jim to death in 2014, she moved from her home in York, PA to Ayden, North Carolina to be close to her son, Jim, daughter in law, Emily, and her three precious grand-daughters Brighton, Caty, and Quinn. As a young woman, Karen worked as a manager at the Bon Ton department store in downtown York before choosing to take on the most important role of her life as a mother. After losing one son to cancer, she raised the other to love God and serve others. Over the years, Karen also looked after many of her nieces and nephews, caring for them as if they were her own. She had a creative spirit, always making things with her hands and giving them away as tokens of her love. Karen loved to share her faith with others and was very active in the ministries of her home church (Fourth United Methodist Church of York, PA) helping in the nursery, teaching Sunday School, leading the youth group and directing the puppet ministry. As her health declined she helped to found the prayer shawl ministry and constantly looked for ways to serve. In her last days she was still thinking of others and making prayer shawls to comfort those in need. Karen was dearly loved by those around her, and always found ways to give of herself in the care of others. She is preceded in death by her parents Clair and Marion Spangler, her husband James McConnell Sr., and her son Jeremiah McConnell. Karen is survived by her son, James McConnell II, daughter in law, Emily McConnell, grand-daughters, Brighton, Caty, and Quinn McConnell, two sisters, Joyce Lower (Ralph) and Bonnie Murphy (Bill), and many nieces and nephews. A funeral service will be held Thursday, February 4, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Fourth United Methodist Church, 1067 E. Market St. York, PA with the Rev. Matthew Loyer, officiating. Burial will be in Mount Rose Cemetery. A viewing will be held from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Thursday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Ayden United Methodist Church, PO Box 335, Ayden, NC 28513. Arrangements by the Etzweiler Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, 1111 E. Market St. York, PA 17403