Karen Kaye Smith, 85, of Sioux City passed away on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Born on July 28, 1940, in Elk Point, SD, Karen was the daughter of Ralph L. and Fern E. (Dailey) Holley. Her family relocated to Sioux City in 1942, where she spent her formative years and graduated from Central High School in 1958. On August 8, 1959, she married Ronald C. Smith at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and they were blessed with four children.

Karen was devoted to her family and took great pride in her role as a homemaker during her children’s early years. Her career included working in the office at Riverside Methodist Church in 1974, followed by Rochester Products from 1982 to 1993. She served as a Teacher’s Aide at Sacred Heart School for nine years and later at Lil Scholars Christian Preschool for four years.

Known for her strong personality, Karen was described as stubborn and opinionated. She found joy in baking and was an avid viewer of game shows. She took special pride in her flowers, especially her roses, which she frequently shared with friends and family. Her creative spirit extended to crafting, through which she gifted many items.

Karen’s proudest accomplishments centered around her family-oriented life. She is survived by her son Scott Smith and his wife Jody; son-in-law Joe McMahon; grandchildren: Jeff and Niki Reed, T.J. and Brooke Trudeau, Travis and Crystal Smith, Makayla and Faustin Mahlke, Morgan Smith and Braxton, Sean and Mandy McMahon, and Kylie and Austin Podany; as well as ten great-grandchildren: Joshua, Jaxson, Jensen, Mariah, Brody, Mason, Aubrey, Ayden, Kynlee, and Marshall. Additionally, she is survived by several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Ronald “Ronnie” Smith, her parents Ralph and Fern Holley; three children, Dirk Smith, Rona Smith, and Gina McMahon; and her siblings Norma and Elvon Jessip, Alvin and Shirley Holley, Shirley and Marv Ploof, Lois and Chuck Scheil, and Karlee Cooley.

Visitation for Karen Kaye Smith will be held at the Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel in Sioux City, Iowa, located at 3220 Stone Park Blvd, on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with a Rosary at 5:00 p.m. and Vigil Service at 7:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 5010 Military Rd, Sioux City, at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network/,  University of Rochester - Long QT Research, Mary's Choice, or the Alzheimer's Association.