Karen Luecke Short, 84, entered into Heavenly rest on Tuesday, March 25,2025 in Greenwood, SC. Born in Lakewood Ohio, July 20, 1940, she was the youngest child of Gladys (Patte) and Ervin Luecke.

Karen grew up in Bay Village Ohio enjoying an idyllic childhood along the shore of Lake Erie. She attended Ohio State University (Cleveland campus), San Antonio Community college, and University of Southern California where she graduated from the Interior Design program.

She worked in radio in San Antonio, Texas, radio and advertising in San Francisco, and was Executive Secretary to the President and Chairman of the Board of Yosemite Park and Curry Co. in Yosemite National Park, California. She relocated to Los Angeles to work for Princess Cruises where she and two others created and established a new concept called "group cruising" which is now an industry standard. She later worked for Creative Travel Planners of Northridge, California, as a cruise business group tour escort.

In 1976 Karen married Vernon S. Short of Los Angeles and upon his later retirement moved to Newberry, South Carolina to renovate an older home. In 1985 she was one of the Founders of the Newberry Humane Society and was instrumental in extensively upgrading the County Animal Shelter into a humane facility.

She was a long time part-time employee of the Newberry Opera House working first in the Box Office and then in the Administration Office as Group Coordinator. Mrs. Short was a member of the Fine Arts Club, Newberry County Humane Society, various social groups, attended Aveleigh Presbyterian Church, and at one time taught Sunday bible school on Newberry's WKDK Radio. She later moved to Wesley Commons Retirement campus in Greenwood, SC.

Karen is survived by her niece Mrs. Barbara Sic Kmiec and family and nephew James T. Sic (Marilou). Sister Phyllis Sic and husband Vernon S. Short have predeceased her.

The family will have a memorial service at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday at Wesley Commons Asbury Hall.

Interment will be in the family area of the Columbarium of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Bay Village, Ohio. Memorials may be made to the Newberry Humane Society, PO Box 485, Newberry, SC 29108 or favorite charity.