September 28, 1947 – January 29, 2026
Karen Marie Modder-Border, 78 years old, passed away Thursday, January 29, 2026, in Kenosha, WI.
She was born in Chico, CA, on September 28, 1947, the daughter of the late Jack and Lila (Wright) McCray. When Karen was 12, her parents moved their family to Bombay, India, where they served as missionaries for five years. There, she attended a boarding school (Woodstock) in northern India. She graduated in 1965 and began a lifelong career in nursing.
Caring for others extended far beyond her official title. From India to Thailand, she embarked upon numerous mission trips across the globe. Her sincere love for the human spirit knew no borders. For Karen, every human being was a living, breathing manifestation of the divine. She also had a profound desire to empower women, particularly those without sovereignty over their own voices and bodies. Karen’s intrinsic compassion for others evolved into a calling, one that her faith in God had attuned her to hear and act upon.
Karen is survived by her loving and devoted husband, David Border of Kenosha; her children: Joshua (Kristin) Modder of Appleton, WI, Sam (Elizabeth) Modder of Racine, WI, Bejamin Modder of Bloomingdale, IL, and Nathaniel Modder of Bayview, WI; eight grandchildren, Jackson, Phineus, Henry, Abe, Uriah, Willa, Pierce and Penelope; and many other relatives and friends.
In addition to her parents, Karen was preceded in death by her brother, Larry McCray.
