Karen (Tefft) Schieman

Karen Tefft Schieman, 85, passed away peacefully at her residence on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.

She was born on February 1, 1939, in Saginaw, Michigan and was the daughter of the late Robert and Dorothy (Corcoran) Tefft.  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Tompkins Schieman III, son, James Allen Schieman, and brothers, James and Thomas Tefft.

Karen graduated from the University of Michigan in 1961 with a BA degree in Education.  She married her college sweetheart, Charles (“Toby”) Schieman, and they were happily married for 57 years until his passing in 2019.  Karen and Toby moved around the country before settling in Circleville where they raised their beloved family.  Karen was a second-grade teacher before raising her children and enjoyed working as a teacher’s aide in the Circleville City School district later in life.

Karen was a devoted parishioner of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Circleville since 1965 and held many positions of leadership throughout the years.  She was an active member of the Episcopal Church Women and could always be found in the church kitchen helping with any event from soup kitchens to the Circleville Pumpkin Show.  Karen was also a devoted member of the Circleville community, donating her time to the local library and teaching adults to read.

She is survived by daughters, Heather (Mike) Harber, Hilary (Aaron) McComb, and grandchildren: Calie Chapman, Taylor Harber, Jordan Harber, Ian McComb, and Alaina McComb.

Karen was known for her bright smile and positive demeanor, always warm and welcoming to everyone.  She was a ray of sunshine no matter the circumstance, with boundless amounts of love, grace and strength.  She was always her children’s biggest cheerleader, spending countless hours volunteering at the schools, and continued that same level of loving support for her grandchildren.  She had many interests over the years, including reading, nature hikes, basket-weaving, and following University of Michigan sports.  Most of all, she enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and cherished every moment.

The cremation has been handled with care by the Wellman Funeral Home.

A Memorial Service will be held on November 2, 2024, at 2:30 pm at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church with Father David Getreu officiating.  Friends may greet the family in the church parish hall following the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 129 W. Mound St., Circleville, OH 43113.