Theresa J. Karren, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, passed away on December 27, 2024, at the age of eighty-nine. Exactly twenty-three years after her husband L. Glenn Karren passed away. Born on November 3, 1935, in Quelzaltepeque, El Salvador. She was the daughter of Enrique Barrera Alvarado and Andrea Chavez Duenas.
Theresa left home at sixteen and headed to San Francisco to live with her aunt “Big Tia.” She graduated from Galileo High School and began working as a receptionist at a beauty salon where she met her future husband L. Glenn Karren, the owner of the Salon. Later romance blossomed and they were married in 1955 in South San Francisco. They had four children Glenn, Lynda, Melissa, and Dana and made their way to Sunnyvale where they raised their family. They later moved to San Jose.
Theresa loved her family, life, and friends, but most of all she loved the Lord. She was a pioneer in joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. after welcoming two missionaries in her home. She was enthusiastic in the church and reactivated her husband. They were later sealed in the Salt Lake Temple in 1965.
Theresa and Glenn were blessed to be able to take over a KFC franchise and built it up to a top store. She enjoyed traveling with her husband to many places, both in the country and around the world.
Retiring in 1986 she was able to spend more time doing the things she loved, being a grandma and helping her children and grandchildren grow and thrive, playing games, cooking, painting, dancing, and supporting sporting events with them. She loved these joyful times and was quick to help with anything any of them needed.
After her husband passed away in 2001, she moved to Temecula, CA near her daughter Lynda. It was here she kept her life busy by serving others. She hosted dinners for the seniors group, volunteered at the storehouse, and loved serving in the Temple. In 2006 she headed off to Poland to serve a mission at the Family History Center and translated for Spanish speaking investigators in Poland. After her mission she traveled Europe with her daughters.
In 2016, she became a resident at Jamestown, Provo, UT and loved the staff, residents, and activities there. The family wishes to thank Jamestown for the care and loving service provided to Theresa during her residence.
Theresa is survived by her children; Glenn (Melanie), Lynda (Duane), Melissa (Dan), and Dana (Terilyn); her eighteen grandchildren, and forty-six great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and her two brothers Arturo and Salvador Duenas.
A Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 AM Tuesday December 31, 2024, located at Jamestown, 3352 North 100 East, Provo, Utah. A Graveside Service will be conducted in January 2025, at the Los Gatos Memorial Park, 2255 Los Gatos Almaden Rd. San Jose, CA.
1 Condolence for Theresa J. Karren
Condolence(1)
M. Wilcox says
October 13, 2025 at 2:57 pmI worked for Theresa in the early 80’s at their store, KFC, and am saddened to learn of her passing. I remember Theresa as my boss, of course, but also for her can-do attitude, energy and large personality. She was kind and fair as well as being someone who drew people in and people followed as a leader. We were barely a decade if that removed from a time when most women worked only in the home and not running a high volume profitable franchise. Yet there she was, running the show efficiently and with grace. Theresa did every job there; she was no shrinking violet no matter if it was processing the raw chicken, assisting customers or doing the accounting work. I learned much from Theresa as a teenager and those experiences helped to positively form my work ethic as I moved into being an adult with adult responsibilities. I recall Theresa fondly and send my condolences to her family. She was a lovely person.