Karen Ann (Newman) Corrigan

Karen Ann (Newman) Corrigan, aged 76, passed away at home with her daughter by her side, at 9:20 a.m. on January 30, 2025.

Karen was born in Terry, Montana on November 2, 1948, to Norvald “Bud” and Jessie Newman, Jr.

She was the second born of ten, five brothers and four sisters.

Karen was raised in Kalispell, MT. This is where she met “Bob” at a dance on January 9, 1965. He eventually won her heart, and they were married on January 10, 1966. They were blessed with three daughters, Connie, born in 1967, Bobbi Jo, born in 1969, and Susan, born in 1970. In 1972, they made the decision to move to Great Falls, MT, and it was their forever home. Shortly after moving, Karen graduated from Dahl’s College of Beauty with a license in cosmetology. That is when she began her second passion of becoming a hairdresser, even owning her own shop, K.C.’s Cut & Style, for many years. She was once offered a job in California to be a hairstylist to the stars, but she turned it down because she did not want to spend long hours away from her family.

She was forced into early retirement in 2007 after a lung cancer diagnosis. It was small cell, but it was due to all the chemicals that she had worked with all those years. She did the unimaginable and beat it. In 2021, she was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer. Again, she beat it.

Karen absolutely loved spending time with her grandkids and great-grandkids. She also enjoyed fishing, bowling, crocheting, knitting, cheering on the family line of stock car drivers, Suduko, and Candy Crush. During her retirement, she learned to golf, and thus began her third passion, even winning an award for a hole-in-one, which she was so proud of.

She continued to fight battle after battle and was determined to beat them all. However, there was one that she just couldn’t move on from. In 2015, after 49 years, 3 months, and 17 days, she lost the love of her life suddenly and unexpectedly. She passed from a broken heart that nothing on earth could fix.

Karen is survived by her daughter, Connie Corrigan; mother, Jessie (Newman) Nigg; sisters, Carol, Katy (Gloria), and Dawna; brothers, Lyle, Kevin, Daniel Newman, and Rick Nigg; grandchildren, Aryan, Ayden, Randy, Annalisha, Andrew, Trevor, Blake, and Kendra; great-grandchildren, Lily, Levi, Micah, Matthew, Ezra, Grace, Keaton, Emma, Araura, and Ceaira. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert “Bob” Corrigan, Jr. (2015); daughters, Susan (1971) and Bobbi Jo (2023); her father; her “Dad” Leo Nigg; a brother, Carson Newman; sister, Marilyn Regester; and her “favorite nephew,” Tony Wamsley.

She is already missed, but knowing she is happy again helps the family hearts to heal.

The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to Tori Pyskaty for helping care for Karen in her last few months and forming that special bond that brought some joy to her in the end.

There is no service at this time as there will be a family gathering when Bob and Karen are laid to rest together at the family plot in Great Falls, MT as per their wishes.