Karen Elizabeth Bezzant Shelley

Karen Elizabeth Bezzant Shelley was born on a crisp, snowy day, January 18, 1973, at American Fork Hospital in Utah, to her loving parents, Colleen Elizabeth Bezzant and E. Mark Bezzant. She was welcomed by her grandparents, Lucille and Leo Bevan and Jim and Mary Bezzant, along with a large extended family.

The oldest of six children, Karen grew up in Utah and became a guiding presence in her family from an early age. She was known for her confidence, independence, and strong personality, and for choosing her own path. Beautiful inside and out, she had a vibrant personality that made her memorable to those who knew her.

Karen was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During her youth, she participated in the Young Women and earned her Young Womanhood Recognition award.

Karen attended Pleasant Grove High School, where she played the flute and participated in the Pleasant Grove Vikings marching band. In October 1989, after countless hours of hard work and practice, the band placed first in Class A at the 12th annual Rocky Mountain Marching Band Competition hosted by Brigham Young University. She graduated from Pleasant Grove High School in 1991 and later continued her education at Utah Valley University.

On July 10, 1992, Karen married Deric Melvin Shelley in Manti, Utah. Together, they welcomed four children: Tyson, Mikayla, Hannah, and Porter. Her children were the center of her life and, as her family will always believe, her greatest accomplishment. Karen and Deric later divorced in 2020.

Karen later reconnected with her junior high boyfriend, Chris Greer, and the two eventually became engaged to be married.

Karen was also blessed with four grandchildren, Brynlee, Easton, Kynlee, and Weston, each of whom brought her tremendous joy and held a treasured place in her heart.

Family was an important part of Karen's life. As the oldest sibling, she held a special place in her family and remained a beloved aunt to her many nieces and nephews. She had a way of making each one feel special. She enjoyed hosting family gatherings, parties, and sleepovers, creating memories her nieces and nephews will carry with them. Time with Aunt Karen was in a class of its own. Karen enjoyed baking and was especially known for carrying on family traditions. She made caramel popcorn, hard candy suckers, and her signature cinnamon suckers, treats that became part of many family celebrations.

On October 29, 2026, at 3:52 p.m., Karen passed away in Lehi, Utah, from organ failure. She was surrounded by her parents, fiancé, siblings, and children. Her family finds comfort in knowing she was with those she loved in her final moments.

Karen is survived by her parents, Mark and Colleen Bezzant, and her five younger siblings, listed from oldest to youngest: David and his wife, Lori, and their three children; Kristie and her husband, Travis, and their two children; Amie and her husband, Bryce, and their five children; Jonathan and his wife, Kayla, and their four children; and Lisa and her husband, Kellen, and their child.

Her four children and their families include Tyson Ray Shelley, 32, and his wife, Kourtani, and their three children, Brynlee, 11, Easton, 9, and Kynlee, 4; Mikayla Shelley, 30; Hannah Shelley Reynolds, 26, and her husband, Carter, and their son, Weston, three months old; and Porter Deric Shelley, 22, and his wife, Kylee.

She is also survived by her fiancé, Chris Greer, and his family, along with her extended family, nieces, nephews, cousins, and many dear friends.

Karen will be remembered for her confidence, independence, vibrant personality, and devotion to her family. Her greatest legacy lives on through her children, grandchildren, and the many lives she touched along the way. To her family, she will always be a guiding presence, and the love she gave them will remain part of their lives.

Karen had a gift for making ordinary moments feel special. Birthdays, holidays, and family celebrations were opportunities to make people feel loved and remembered. Those who knew her will carry forward the memories she created and the traditions she made meaningful.

Her family finds comfort in the words of Matthew 25:21:

"Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."
—Matthew 25:21

We love you, Karen. You will always be with us, until we meet again.

Funeral services will be held Friday, November 6, 2026, at 11:00 AM in the Battlecreek First Ward Chapel, 1255 East 200 South, Pleasant Grove, where family and friends may attend a viewing from 9:30 AM to 10:45 AM prior to funeral services. Interment will be in the Pleasant Grove City Cemetery.