Karen Elizabeth Dutton

After battling with cancer, Karen Dutton passed away peacefully with her loving husband George by her side at their home in Healdsburg. Karen graduated from Healdsburg High in 1954 and raised six children. She utilized her amazing organizational skills to become a legal secretary and spent seven years of her career as the executive legal secretary to the Sonoma County District Attorney, Gene Tunney.

Karen developed a great love of music at an early age and was a very talented pianist, playing at many events for her children’s schools and fraternal organizations. Karen was a longtime supporting member of the Santa Rosa Symphony. She also harbored a great love of animals and was instrumental in the development and construction of the new animal care facility as a Healdsburg Animal Shelter board member.

Karen met her husband, George Dutton, through mutual friends and shared a rich married life for 38 years. George described Karen as loving, committed, dedicated, thoughtful, and caring over their 40-plus year relationship. She loved to engage in lively debates and was remarkably proficient in the art of conversation.

She is predeceased by her first born daughter, Allison, her sister, Jennifer Nielsen, father Norman Schwietert, mother Alice. Karen is survived by her dear husband, George, children Marcy Lenhardt (husband Terry), Mitch Silveira, Brenda Abrahams (late husband John Abrahams), Jill Silveira (Bob Brady), Sally Silveira, George’s three children, her sister, Deborah Smith, (Donald), and a loving and devoted group of grandchildren, great grandchildren, and nephews and nieces.

For health and safety reasons, no services will be held at this time. If you’d like to make a donation in honor of Karen, please visit the Healdsburg Animal Shelter website.