Natalie Jayne Karns was born on December 29, 1940, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Carl and Lilly (Levine) Wiener. She passed away on June 7, 2026, in Spokane, Washington.
After graduating from Cleveland Heights High School in 1958, Natalie moved from Cleveland, Ohio, to Evansville, Indiana, in the early 1960s. She later earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Evansville.
Natalie married Joe Karns and welcomed his sons, Scott, and Tim, into her life. Together, Joe, Natalie, and Chad spent some of their happiest years on the west side of Evansville, Indiana. They cherished their time on Wessel Lane and the many wonderful families in the neighborhood. In 1999, Joe and Natalie retired and moved to Leesburg, Florida, where they spent the next 26 years.
During the 1980s, Natalie worked as a service representative for the Social Security Administration in the Evansville and Henderson offices. In the 1990s, she went on to work in the University of Evansville’s administration office.
In her free time, Natalie loved to read anything she could get her hands on. She also enjoyed sweepstakes and participating in contests with her Sweep Sheets family. She loved to travel as well. Natalie and Joe took several cruises and trips to Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand, and in her younger years, she traveled throughout Europe, South America, and Canada. Natalie was an avid college basketball fan, and she always cheered for her Evansville Purple Aces, especially when they made the NCAA Tournament.
Natalie was preceded in death by her parents, Carl, and Lilly Wiener; her sister, Debra Wiener; and her stepson, Tim Karns. She is survived by her loving husband of 47 years, Joe Karns; her son, Chad (Sally) Karns; her stepson, Scott Karns; her sister, Leslie (Bill) Nelson of Chicago, Illinois; her daughter-in-law, Vicky Karns; and her grandchildren, Marisa, Leah, Hunter, and Fisher.