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Professor of English at Reed [English 1973鈥�78]

Professor Karen Lever

March 29, 2025, in Portland, Oregon.

The first of two children born to Avis Janke and James Lever, Karen Marie Lever was born in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. Uninspired in school, her academic life was suddenly turned around when her father brought home a gas station copy of Wuthering Heights one day. She subsequently fell in love with art and literature, becoming the first person in her family to go to college.

Karen worked part-time jobs ranging from photo and illustrative fashion modeling for a Minneapolis department store to a summer decapitating chickens. She also won a scholarship to the University of Minnesota, followed by a full ride to Johns Hopkins University, where she earned a master’s degree in literature and a PhD.

After working as a professor of English at Reed, Karen ran the Women’s Program at Clackamas Community College. She loved Portland’s milder winters, Reed colleagues who tried to convince her to eat geoducks, and Reed students who could juggle Indian clubs while riding unicycles at the same time.

Karen was also a stalwart docent at the Portland Art Museum, serving and conducting tours for the public for decades. She is survived by her brother, Jim.

Appeared in Reed magazine: Spring 2026