Karen Raffray

Karen Raffray 
April 18, 1953 - March 22, 2025 

Surrounded by her family, Karen Raffray (nee Brandson) passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of March 22, 2025 at the Dauphin Regional Health Centre. She left us knowing how much we loved her to begin a new life free of the struggles she endured over the past few years.

Karen was born to parents Barney and Maude (Mitchell ) Brandson on April 18, 1953 in Portage la Prairie, and was raised on the family farm in the Wapah area near Lake Manitoba Narrows. She attended a one-room school in Wapah and completed her education at Ste. Rose Collegiate. Karen worked for five years at Ste. Rose Inn/Chicken Chef when it first opened, and was employed at DuLac Pharmacy and Ste. Rose Super Thrifty Pharmacy for approximately thirty years. She enjoyed working with the public and made many life-long friendships with her coworkers and customers.  

Karen married Paul Raffray on October 8, 1971, and they welcomed their son Ryan in 1975 and daughter Kari in 1978. She valued family more than anything, and was a devoted and proud mother and grandmother. Her children and grandchildren were the greatest joys in her life, and she never tired of expressing her love for them and sharing stories of their accomplishments. Her most cherished moments were family gatherings, where lasting memories were created. The more time she could spend with her family, the happier it made her.

She will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 53 years Paul, her son Ryan and daughter-in-law Michelle, her daughter Kari and son-in-law Bryce, along with her precious grandchildren Emilie (Travis), Matthieu, Isabelle (JP), Mireille, Sarah, Laura, Lucy and Kate. Also surviving her and missing her dearly are her siblings Wanda (Marcel), Myles (Joyce), Kim (Brenda), Beryl (Iris), Merryn, her special niece Ashley, her sister-in-law Yvette (Robert) and brother-in-law Alain (Debbie), along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family.

Karen was predeceased by her parents, her son-in-law Shawn deDelley, her sister-in-law Annette Sweetman, and her brother-in-law Andy Raffray.

Special thanks to Dr. Danielle Paradis, Dr. David O’Hagan, and Dr. Cathy Gudmundson for the excellent care they provided over the past few years, and to Dr. Shokunbi and the health professionals at the Ste. Rose Hospital along with Dr. VanOtterloo and Dr. Nolan and the ICU staff at the Dauphin Regional Health Centre for the care and compassion offered during Karen’s last hours with her family.

In keeping with her wishes, a private family celebration of Karen’s life was held at the columbarium in the Ste. Rose cemetery.

To honor her memory and her love of family, we ask that you take some time to be with your family, to laugh and share stories and be with each other. She would appreciate this so very much.

"Your life was a blessing 
your memory a treasure, 
You are loved beyond words 
and missed beyond measure"