Karen Scott

Karen Scott, 74, passed peacefully at 11:19pm on September 5th, 2020 in her home in Sedona, AZ. 

     Karen Lee Schmidt was born in 1946 in New Jersey, the second of five children to parents Walter J. Schmidt and Wanda Nan (French) Schmidt. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts and earning an MBA in Marketing at Northwestern University, she remained in Illinois to pursue her career. She was a self-made entrepreneur and very admirable in the business community of Illinois. She was the first female brand manager at Kraft General Foods, Inc. After her success at Kraft, she quickly realized she wanted to start her own business. She then became CEO and co-founder (with her husband, Ian Scott) of One Step Ahead/Leaps and Bounds, a catalogue specializing in exceptional baby and toddler items. Her business was featured in the Chicago Tribune, as well as a few other notable publications.

     Karen loved to travel the world, enjoyed all types of fine arts, and especially loved spending time with her family. She transplanted to Sedona in 2005, and fell in love with the scenery and the people. In her time in Sedona, she quickly became a beloved and influential member of the community. From hosting memorable charity events for the Verde Valley Caregivers Coalition, to her involvement in the Sedona Film Festival, she was sure to make her time in Sedona meaningful. 

     When it came to her family, Karen had a tenderness and warmth about her that was unmatched. She was proud to be a grandmother, but even more proud to be a mother. Karen was survived by her two sons, Steven Scott (Kelly Scott, wife) and Michael Scott (Lyndsay Pollard, wife), her sisters Nancy Lambert (John Lambert, husband, deceased) and Martha Schmidt, her brothers Ken Schmidt (Liana Schmidt, wife) and Mark Schmidt, her grandsons Jackson Scott, Hunter Scott, and Myles Scott, and her granddaughters Lindsay Jones, Stevie Jones, and Chloe Jones. 

     Celebration of Life to be held at a later date. Donations in lieu of flowers should be made to a donation of your choice.