Karen Letitia Stolz

Memorial services for Karen Letitia Stolz, 54, Pittsburg, will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Trinity Episcopal Church in Lawrence. Services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday on the Pittsburg State University campus in Pittsburg, and services in Austin, Texas are pending and will be announced at a later date.
Ms. Stolz died unexpectedly Wednesday, June 15, 2011, at her home.
She was born March 5, 1957, in St. Louis, the daughter of Clarence “Dutch” Frederick and Jeanne Shelford Stolz.
She graduated from Kansas University in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in English and later earned her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop in 1982.
Ms. Stolz taught at Austin Community College and St. Edward’s University in Austin. Most recently, she was the associate professor of English and creative writing at Pittsburg State University. She was also a published author of two books, “World of Pies” (2000) and “Fanny & Sue” (2003). She was an active member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Pittsburg.
She was married to Gary Spence. They later divorced.
She is survived by her parents, Lawrence; a son, Danny Spence, Austin; two sisters, Maggie Cloud, Santa Fe, N.M., and Katie Kutilek, Lawrence; a brother, Bruce Scoular, Lawrence; and many friends and colleagues.
The family suggests memorials to the PSU Foundation at go.pittstate.edu/givenow or sent in care of Chapel Oaks Funeral Home, 3821 W. Sixth St., Lawrence, KS 66049.
Online condolences may be sent at barnettchapeloaks.com.