Karin Lealos was born on May 22, 1941, to Hans and Maj (Biärsjö) Hanke. Her earliest years were spent in Germany and Sweden. In 1951 the family emigrated to the United States, living first in the Bayside neighborhood of Queens in New York City, and later in Rochester, NY. Karin became a US citizen on April 11, 1956.
Karin graduated from Nazareth Academy in Rochester and attended Roberts Wesleyan College for 2 years before getting her Practical Nursing degree. She worked as a nurse at Highland Hospital in Rochester until 1973, when she moved to Grand Forks to be near her sister and her family. In Grand Forks, Karin worked at St. Michael’s Hospital and later at UND.
In 1977 Karin married Arthur Lealos and lived happily with him first on their family farm in East Grand Forks and later at Century Apartments. Arthur died on April 16, 2001. After a few years Karin moved to Good Samaritan Heritage Grove in East Grand Forks. She lived there for five years before moving to Valley Senior Living on Columbia in Grand Forks in July, 2018.
Karin was a member of Christ the King Free Lutheran Church in East Grand Forks. She enjoyed music, knitting, traveling and reading, and was especially knowledgeable about Australia. She loved the chance to go swimming, even if the water was too cold for everyone else. She was an extremely loving sister and aunt.
Karin was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Art. Survivors include her sisters Gertrude Jacoby of Venice, FL, and Ingrid Pfohl of Leverett, MA, nieces Helen Jacoby of Syracuse, NY and Christina Axelrod of Montclair, NJ, and nephews Mark Pfohl of Hatfield, MA and Jason Pfohl of Oaxaca, Mexico, as well as 6 great nieces and nephews.
Funeral Service will be held Friday, May 10, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at Christ the King Lutheran Church, East Grand Forks, MN.
Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the start of the service.
Burial will be held in Resurrection Cemetery, East Grand Forks, MN.