LostCoastOutpost.com
August 13 2025
With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Karen Anne Fredrickson (née Moore), age 79, who left us peacefully at her home in Iaqua on August 6, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.
Karen was born on April 13, 1946, in Eureka at St. Joseph Hospital to Charles and Edra Moore. She grew up in Freshwater, attending Freshwater Elementary School, and spent her summers at the family ranch in Iaqua — a place central to the rest of her life. The ranch shaped her love of ranching, animals, community, and the land itself.
She graduated from Eureka Senior High School in 1964 and went on to earn her Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon State University’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences in 1968. Her experience in college would continue to influence Karen’s life, blending community and agriculture.
Karen began her professional journey with the Department of Food and Agriculture in Lebanon County, Oregon, and broke new ground as Oregon’s first female Brand Inspector. From there she worked for Oregon State University Agricultural Extension, serving as the 4-H Director for Benton County, Oregon. In 1982, she returned to Humboldt County, serving the community with Redwood Community Action Agency and later the Area 1 Agency on Aging.
Continuing her path of community service Karen was a key member of the Humboldt County Probation Office. From 1988 to 2003, Karen served as a probation officer, supervisor and director. Karen made a lasting impact in the department serving as founding supervisor for the Humboldt County Drug Court, leading the Intensive Supervision Unit, and ultimately serving as Division Director of Adult Probation. Compassion and commitment defined her professional career. Her dedication earned her the Pat Mitchell Award from the Eureka Police Officers Association along with the admiration and respect of the law enforcement community.
Karen married her beloved husband, Duane Fredrickson, and together they built a life of love, hard work, and shared passions. She was the proud mother of Shaun and Kylie Brenneman, Adrienne and Thomas Ross, Melissa Grace, and Jason and Emily Fredrickson. She adored her grandchildren — Meghann and Michael Weldon, Kaitlin and Kevin Marshall, McKenna and Andrew Miyashiro, Samuel Ross, Austin Grace, and Wyatt Grace — and her great-grandchildren, Elias and Agatha Miyashiro.
Karen is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Kathleen and Roddy Gordon, and her brother and sister-in-law, Mark and Dina Moore. She also leaves behind a large extended family of nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews, all of whom she cherished deeply. She was predeceased by her parents, Charles and Edra Moore. Her dear friends remained an important part of her life through the years.
Karen was a lifelong athlete competing in many endurance related sports from marathons to ride and ties, ultimately culminating in equine endurance rides. Karen was a lifelong member of Redwood Empire Endurance Riders and the American Endurance Ride Conference. Blending her love of horses and distance racing, she found her passion in endurance riding. Her endurance riding career was nothing short of remarkable. She completed the legendary 2,000-mile Pony Express Trail XP Ride three times in full and once in part (1,250 miles), riding from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Virginia City, Nevada. She logged countless 250-mile, multi-day rides across the western United States, amassing an extraordinary 18,155 sanctioned AERC miles between 2000 and 2018. During her two-decade racing career she gathered more than just miles, she collected a vast group of life-long friends.
Astride her beloved horse, Murphy (MRR Pyro), Karen achieved the coveted “Perfect 10” Award in 2011 — ten years, 10,000 miles, 10 first-place finishes, and 10 best condition awards — an honor held by only a select few in the sport’s history. That same year, they received the rare Pard’ners Award, recognizing the deep partnership between horse and rider. In 2014, Murphy was inducted into the American Endurance Riders Hall of Fame, and by 2015, they had completed 15,000 race miles together.
Karen’s passions extended far beyond endurance riding. She was a gifted gardener who inspired many to grow and nurture the land. Together with Duane, she owned and operated a successful cattle ranch in Iaqua. Their work together went beyond raising a thriving cattle herd, they strove to restore and improve the land. Working closely with Natural Resources Conservation Service, Karen and Duane endeavored to promote stewardship and conservation of the land they loved. Their shared efforts earned them the Buckeye Conservancy Stewardship Award.
In keeping with her trend of community service, she was a lifelong member of the Humboldt ranching community. Karen served as Secretary of the Humboldt/Del Norte Cattlemen’s Association from 1999–2000, was a member of the Farm Bureau, and the Buckeye Conservancy. At home, she was surrounded by the dogs she loved, her constant companions over the years.
Karen had a generous heart, a strong will, and an easy smile that made everyone feel welcome. She taught by example — showing others the value of hard work, loyalty, and living life of courage and joy.
A celebration of Karen’s life will be held at 1:00 PM, Sunday, September 21, 2025 at The Wharfinger Building, 1 Marina Way, Eureka, CA 95501. Friends and family are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Humboldt and the Humboldt/Del Norte Cattlemen Scholarship Fund in her memory.
• Hospice of Humboldt, 3327 Timber Fall Ct., Eureka, CA 95503
• Humboldt/Del Norte Cattlemen Scholarship Fund, 5630 S Broadway, Eureka, CA 95503
Karen will be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, great-aunt, and friend. We imagine her now riding through the mountains she loved so much, wind in her hair, astride Murphy, with Cat at her side.
The family would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Hospice of Humboldt County and the University of San Francisco Cancer Center for their compassionate care during her final days.
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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Karen Fredrickson’s loved ones to Lost Coast Outpost
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