"I just found out about Ellen?s passing. I am so sad to hear this. We worked together at Central Towers and she was such s good friend. She was always so supportive and we shared so many good times together. She will be deeply missed by many. Sandy Ukkelberg"
In loving memory of
Ellen M. Karpas
April 4, 1938 - October 4, 2017
BURNSVILLE, MN - Ellen M. (Mohan) (Schultz) Karpas, 79, of Burnsville and formerly Hayfield and Winona, MN died on Wednesday, October 4, 2017, at the Ebenezer Care Center in Minneapolis, MN.
Ellen was born on April 4, 1938, in Winona, MN to Edward and Viola (McDonald) Mohan. She was raised in Weaver, MN and graduated from Winona Cotter High School and Winona State University. She married Dan Schultz. They were later divorced. On September 19, 1981, she was united in marriage with Michael Karpas. Ellen worked as a social worker for Social Services in many different positions. In her spare time, Ellen enjoyed: dancing, family celebrations and the outdoors. Ellen was a very loving, giving, generous person who loved to laugh.
She is survived by her husband: Michael; five children: Anthony Schultz of Minneapolis, MN, Mark (Daun) Schultz of Owatonna, MN, Daniel (Karen Keown) Schultz of Eden Prairie, MN, Sandy (Craig) Pahlen of Lakeville, MN; and Timothy (Stacy) Schultz of Dexter, MN; 15 grandchildren: Issa, Nadjua, Raven, Amelia, Jennifer, Daniel, Kendra, Shandell, Brock, Cole, Blake, Brooke, Keenan, Sutton and Riley; two great-grandchildren: Kollin and Eli; and by two siblings: Daryl and Bill Mohan.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Mary Ann; brothers: Eugene, Jim, Ed, Mike, Ron, Wayne, and Best Friend, Betty Hess.
The family prefers memorials to the Minnesota Special Olympics.
There will be a memorial service for Ellen at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 8, 2017, at Hoff Celebration of Life Center in Goodview. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. A private family burial will take place at a later date at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Rushford, MN.
Tributes
"Ellen was my social worker at Central Towers and she was always helping out others. She had an open door for anyone that wanted to talk to her and started our pantry. Just looking in to her eyes, you know she was good people. We would like to have a memorial for her at Central Towers, so if you would like to contact us at 651-215-4600, please do so we can share in memories of her life. Blessing with you during this difficult time."
"MY Best Childhood memory is all about my first BFF Ellen Ellen Mohan and I met in the sixth grade. As a 100% Irish lass, she had bright red hair styled in Pippy Longstocking's braids and a face so full of freckles that someone once said to her, "It looks like you got caught out in the rain." She has a great sense of humor but neither of us thought that was funny. I had to wear my brothers' hand-me-downs as did she. At the time, I was the only girl in a family with three brothers; She was the only girl in a family with eight sweet brothers. Ellen lived about half a block from me. When I finished my Saturday chores, I would go to the porch and yell, "Elllleeeennnn!" She would yell from her porch, "What?" I'd say "Ready?" She'd say, "Soon." One day when we were yelling at each other, a mother and daughter walked past my house; I remember that they turned all the way around to get Ellen's answer. A few years later, Doris, my HS friend told me that she and her mother were walking past my house when I came out and yelled for Ellen. I didn't know Doris yet, but she and her mother both swiveled around to see Ellen come out onto her porch and yell back at me. Ellen and I thought that was hilarious. They, of course, thought we were nuts. Ha. Doris would never do such a thing; That was not cool, but Ellen was the coolest person I ever knew. Most summer Saturdays, Ellen and I would take off for the Winona bluffs. We would walk across the lake-bridge and climb onto and into the bluffs, discovering new caves to explore. I like to think that we were cave spelunking when we were ten or eleven. We explored Devil's cave with its scary back room, and Skinny man's cave with its very thin cave entrance. I knew exactly how to get to the caves because my brothers had been taking me up there since I was five. We fearlessly walked across the top of the bluffs to look over Winona from Garvin Heights, a popular parking place for make-out sessions. I remember that here was someone who was a tomboy just like me; I could trust her to have my back - If only she had been there in the fifth grade when I needed help so badly. (Sister Patricia sent the whole class after me for not finding something on the map. Ellen would have had my back.) In seventh grade, we joined girl scouts and went to Girl Scout camp that summer. It was OK, but we weren't great at itineraries. As I was braiding her hair, everyone else was out for the flag raising ceremony. We watched panicking from the window as I tried to braid her hair. This is when we found out that I couldn't braid hair. We got KP for that. (Like that was a punishment?) Girl Scout camp was just like home only easier. Later, when the scout leaders planned a picnic in the park under the caves, they cautioned our troop to meet at the park saying, "Do not come early, leave the park or go to the caves. Accordingly, Ellen and I set up early tours of the caves for the girl scouts. Ellen took half the troop to Skinny man's cave while I took my half to Devil's Cave. Just as I started the tour of the cave, one of Ellen's scouts came running to tell me, "Ellen fell down the mountain!! Come quick." (As if I could triage her.) But run I did and climbed down the bluff to find Ellen angrily searching for a pocket watch I had given her to carry. I tied my scarf around her bleeding head, and we went down to the picnic area to find our leaders furious with us. For punishment, they kicked us out of the scouts and sent us walking home. It never occurred to us that Leaders don't let bleeding children go home by themselves. BTW, in 2001 it was reported, "Mary Bronk was hiking with five other family members above Devil's Cave, off of Lake Boulevard..." She fell and twisted her ankle so they sent a rescue team to carry her down. Ellen and I would have called her a sissy. "Since then I heard that the caves are condemned. I always want to climb up there to see if they are still there. Ellen said that years later she went up there and searched unsuccessfully for the watch she lost. She and I played softball for the parks and rec department, and we were both pretty good. I remember the two of us walked all the way to a West- end playground but had to forfeit the game; we were the only two who showed up. Years later, before we were married, Don and his baseball friends took their girlfriends to a park where we picnicked and played softball. The other girls couldn't catch, throw or hit so that when I got up to bat, they all moved forward. Consequently, I hit the ball over their heads for a home run. That clinched it for Don. He was mine from then on. Thank you Ellen. In eighth grade, we had this old retired teacher, Mrs. Fleming; she didn't want to take us out for recess but would read to us every afternoon. As long as we sat quietly in our seats she would keep reading. We could sit with a friend and eat candy together. I always had candy because my dad was the manager of FW Woolworth. Thus, Ellen and I sat together and quietly ate the Necco candy wafers, breaking them into little pieces to last us through the reading. This was our first introduction to adult type stories. Thank you Mrs. Fleming. Years later, Ellen and I were chatting one day after college classes, and she said she went to the library one summer to take out all those books Mrs. Fleming read to us, especially the whodunit, Murder in the Nunnery. Thus, Mrs. Fleming influenced both of us to become readers. Ellen and I remained friends and would often talk, but we hung out with different cliques in High School. I brought Ellen with me on group outings but they wouldn't talk to her. Finally, Ellen said she didn't want to go where she wasn't wanted. She said that I should go ahead, and she was making her own friends. I didn't know what to do about this. I do now but that only comes with aging. However I know that she wouldn't have allowed someone to mistreat me. We have met at high school reunions, and she is one of the few people I wanted to see again. I stopped going to the last couple reunions, but I hear Ellen was there asking for me. Now there is no reason for me to go to HS reunions. Goodbye Ellen, my very first BFF. Love Peggy Vaughan Stella "
"Sandy, Craig and Pahlen kids, Sending our love at this sad time in your life. Your Mom/Grandma was always so friendly and helpful whenever we saw her. I know all of you will miss her deeply but she'll be watching over you. Wish we could be there to give you lots of hugs. Give our sympathy to all of Sandy's family. Love you lots, Penny and Steve"
"I met Ellen when we worked together at Central Towers 20 years ago and stayed friends long after I left there. I will always remember how fun and full of life she was she had the best stories and we would laugh until we cried. I will always remember her laugh and smile. I am so sorry for your loss Sandy you are all in my thoughts and prayers With love and sorrow Eileen and Greg Powell St Paul"