Karen Marise Young, age 61, a resident of Joplin, Missouri, passed away Friday, January 19, 2018, at her home in Joplin.

She was born September 24, 1956, in Ft. Scott, Kansas, the daughter of Will Henry Sharp and Alta Mae DeMoss Sharp. Karen attended Ft. Scott Schools and later went on to receive a bachelor degree in Social Work from Missouri Western. She had been employed as a correctional officer at a youth detention center in Atchison, Kansas, for twenty years. She enjoyed reading and doing crafts and will be remembered for her fun-loving personality.

Survivors include her three children; Ezell Douglas Young, of Arlington, Texas, Cypress Shawon Alexander, of San Diego, California and Wade William Young, of Tacoma, Washington and six grandchildren, Keegan Alexander, and Wade Andrew, Elisha, Benjamin, Jonathan and Marcus Young.

Also surviving are her mother, Alta Sharp Cummings of Ft. Scott; a brother, Kirk Sharp of Ft. Scott and three sisters, Margaret Holt of Joplin, Missouri, Zsa Zsa Williams of Springfield, Missouri and Debra Salami of Ft. Scott. She was preceded in death by her father.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 P.M. Tuesday, January 23 at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery. Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.