Karolina Theresia Duniven

Karolina Theresia Duniven of Amarillo, passed away on August 8, 2021, surrounded by her loved ones.

She was born in Landsberg, Germany on June 25, 1927 to Georg and Karolina Mueller.

She lived and worked on the family farm and Gasthaus in Hurlach Kolonie, Germany until she married Kermit LaRue, ViAnna’s father, in 1948. She moved to the United States that same year.  Her husband was in the Air Force and they were stationed in Casablanca, Morocco, Germany and the United States. She celebrated life and the cultures in each country. One of her proudest moments was passing the test for U.S. citizenship.

After moving to Amarillo she met and married C.L. Duniven, Jr. gaining a daughter, Lynda, and grandson, Lane. Her husband was an avid golfer and they would travel nationally and internationally. Karolina enjoyed playing golf at the Amarillo Country Club with the “9 holers” especially with her good friend Bea  Russell. She enjoyed volunteering at Saint Anthony’s hospital for over 15 years with her friends Msgr. Waldo, Msgr. Tash and Mary Kearny.

Karolina and her daughter ViAnna, flew to Germany often in the past years to stay in their home, visit family and friends, and travel. Although she was very proud to be an American, she always cherished her German heritage.

We are the sum total of our life experiences and Karolina had an infinite number.  She knew that experiences connect us more to other people than any shared consumption. The result “HAPPINESS.”

Karolina was preceded in death by her parents, husband C. J. Duniven Jr., sister, Georgini Marx and brother, Georg Mueller.

She is survived by her daughters, ViAnna LaRue of Amarillo, Texas, Lynda Pelton and husband, Gordon, Denver, CO.; grandchildren, Lane Howard and wife, Kristi of San Antonio, TX, Garrett Pelton and wife, Madison of Aurora, CO., BriAnna and husband Matthew Morel of FT. Collins, CO.; 4 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild; niece, Christine Mueller and son, Martin of Hurlach, Germany; nephew Xavier ”Mandi” Marx, Muehlhausen, Germany.

Special thanks to companions Sara and Sofia and BSA Hospice of the Southwest.