Karla Lapinski
Karla Lapinski went to be with our Heavenly Father after a sudden heart attack on April 19, 2022 at the age of 72. Her death was unexpected. She is completely irreplaceable to our family and her friends and she will be deeply missed by everyone who knew her.
Karla was born on May 5, 1949 in Grand Forks, North Dakota to Orval Monson and Sylvia Arason. Her family later moved to Ballard, Washington in 1954, where Karla grew up. She graduated from Ballard High School in 1967 and, one month later, married John Lapinski, who was her soul mate.
John and Karla met at Ballard High School and were together for over 57 years. Early in their life, they had three beautiful children that were her greatest pride and joy–John Jr., Jayson, and Trina. Karla poured endless love into her marriage, family and into countless numbers of friends. It is amazing how many people considered her their “best friend.” She was important to so many people.
Karla was a deeply spiritual person. Though she loved and valued her family immensely, her greatest love was for Jesus Christ. Her faith was unwavering, and her foundation in Christ was truly her bedrock. Anyone who knew her understood that she gained her strength from her faith and also from the constant support of her husband, John.
Family meant so much to Karla. Her love for her partner, John, was complete. They did everything together and were a constant joy to each other. They especially loved their time together in the mornings, sitting in their oversized chair in front of her fireplace doing their daily devotions. Karla loved their home. She enjoyed sitting on the deck looking at the water listening to music. Music was a big part of her life. While her love for John was great, she had a deep love and respect for her entire family, including both her parents, John’s mother, Annabel and father, and both her brothers, Liel Monson and Dori Monson. She loved being a mother. She had so many special times with her children. Whether it was making them cookies, taking them Christmas shopping, going to the pet store or bicycle shop, or going out for a special treat, she was always so content in being a mom. She found equal joy in being a grandmother (Mimi to the grandchildren). She loved Hannah, Ethan, Tatum, Taylor, Jackson, Ashton, Avery, Gabriel, Daniel and her new great grandchild, Winnie, with all of her heart. She did everything she could to be intertwined in the lives of her grandchildren. She was always there for them, whether it was attending a school event or a recital, taking the kids on a camping trip, going down to the beach to explore marine life, or simply reading them a bible story. She especially liked to recite Psalm 23 to the kids before they snuggled into their beds or sleeping bags at the cabin–a fond nickname for John and Karla’s waterfront home.
Karla is survived by her husband John Lapinski, her brothers Liel Monson and Dori Monson, her daughter, Trina Hopkins, and her son, John Lapinski. She was predeceased by her parents, Orval and Sylvia Monson, and her beloved son, Jayson, who tragically died in 2016. Karla was heartbroken over the sudden death of her second child. And her family can only imagine that Jayson is now overwhelmed with joy to embrace his mother again in Heaven.
Karla is now in the arms of the Father after living a remarkable life for Jesus. To honor her memory, her family will be holding a memorial service at Peninsula Bible Fellowship on Friday May 13, 2022 at 2:30 pm.
Peninsula Bible Fellowship
9590 Radcliff Ave NE,
Bremerton, WA 98311
The post first appeared on Barton Family Funeral Service.