Karen K. Muenster

The indomitable Karen Muenster, surrounded by family, passed away from Alzheimer’s at home on April 3,2026 in Vermillion, SD. She leaves a legacy of family, business and public service inspiring her family and friends. A Funeral Mass is scheduled for St. Agnes Parish in Vermillion at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 7 preceded by a 5 p.m. family visitation and a reception following the Mass. Burial will be at a later date in Beatrice, NE.

Born in Deshler, NE October 15, 1942, daughter of Kermit C. Nelsen and Alice C. (Vieselmeyer) Nelsen, Karen’s home was Hebron, NE. She was especially proud of her Danish heritage and graduated from Mt. Carmel Academy and Sacred Heart Women’s College in Wichita, KS with further education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. At UNL she was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority and president of the campus Young Democrats. At UNL she met fellow student Ted Muenster and they were married in 1964.

The Muensters continued living in Lincoln where their first child, Ted, Jr., was born in 1965 and their second child, Mary Kathryn, was born in 1967 just before they relocated to Vermillion, SD where Ted, Sr. joined the administration of the University of South Dakota. In Vermillion Karen was elected the first woman member of the city council. Their third child, Thomas, was born in Vermillion in 1970. In 1971, the family moved to Pierre, SD where Ted, Sr. became Governor Richard F. Kneip’s chief of staff and Karen opened a retail antique and collectible business while serving as the bill clerk of the SD House of Representatives. The family returned to Vermillion and USD in 1975 where Karen began her rental real estate business.

The Muensters relocated to Sioux Falls in 1978 where Ted entered private business and Karen opened an antique/collectible shop and grew her real estate investment business. Karen was elected to the SD State Senate as a Democrat in 1984 serving District 15 for five terms and a fierce advocate for working families.

In 1998, the Muenster family returned to Vermillion the third time where Ted became president of the USD Foundation and Karen opened yet another antique store and continued to grow her real estate investment business specializing in historic restoration. She received several statewide and local awards for her work in restoring historic buildings. Karen’s name along with Ted’s is enshrined on the Muenster University Center at USD.

Karen is survived by her husband Ted, son Ted, Jr. of Vermillion, daughter M.K. (JB) Pritzker of Chicago and son Thomas and wife Rachel of Franklin, TN. Grandchildren include Emily, Alex and Olivia Muenster and Teddi and Donny Pritzker and several nieces and nephews.

Memorials are suggested for the Karen Muenster Scholarship at St. Agnes Parish, 909 E Lewis, Vermillion, SD 57069 or the Muenster Family Scholarship at the USD Foundation, 1110 N Dakota St, Vermillion, SD 57069.