Karen Bergen Velline Death
Karen passed away on August 3, 2015 at the age of 71.
When did Karen Bergen Velline die?
August 3, 2015How old was Karen Bergen Velline when died?
71
Karen Bergen Velline Birthday and Date of Death
Karen Bergen Velline was born in 1944 and died on August 3, 2015. Karen was 71 years old at the time of death.
Birthday: 1944
Date of Death: August 3, 2015
Age at Death: 71
Karen Bergen Velline - Biography
Karen Velline, a well-known member of the Central Minnesota community and wife of pop-rock icon Bobby Vee, has died of kidney failure. She was 71.Bobby and Karen (nee Bergen) Velline were married for 51 years and in recent years split time between the St. Joseph area and Arizona. The couple founded Rock Around the Clock in 1981, a benefit for Cathedral High School’s arts and music programs. They later organized Joetown Rocks!, a summertime celebration in St. Joseph that draws thousands.She and Bobby Vee were given a lifetime achievement award by the Paramount Theatre and Visual Arts Center for their contributions to the Central Minnesota arts scene.Emmett Keenan, activities director at Cathedral, called Karen Velline an incredible woman.The whole Vee family “understood the importance of giving back to the community, and being a part of the community,” he said.Karen Velline underwent a lung transplant about three years ago at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, because of a rare, noncancerous lung condition, said Jeff Velline, one of the couple’s children.“Without it, she wasn’t going to last more than a handful of months by their calculation,” he said. “It was a real blessing, but it’s not a free ticket. It’s a lot of work” with the medication regiment.At the same time, Bobby Vee has been fighting Alzheimer’s disease. It’s been difficult for the family dealing with both health situations at once, Jeff Velline said.“We’re all just staying close. (Bobby is) hanging in there,” he said. “It’s a little tough for him to process everything. We’ll be working on that.”Karen Velline’s health was seriously declining, and in late June she left Arizona to return to Minnesota. She had spent six months on dialysis.“The last few months were tough,” Jeff Velline said. “She was just wearing out little bit by little.”Karen Velline died late Monday night at the University of Minnesota Medical Center surrounded by her husband and children. She loved this area dearly, especially the Collegeville and Benedictine communities, her children said.The former social worker is survived by her husband, four children and five grandchildren.
