SPOTLIGHT - Karen Ackermann, Kaaren Fisher

Karen Ackermann

My full name is Karen Barker Ackermann.  I grew up in northern Idaho in a dinky little town called Potlatch until I was ten, and in Shelley (about an hour south of BYU Idaho) after that.  I am the fourth of five kids, all girls except the youngest.  I enjoyed choir, newspaper staff and drama in high school. My family was very active in the church (my Dad was branch president), and loved camping and hunting.  We had goats, chickens, rabbits and pigeons when I was little, and a huge garden with fruit trees. I went to Ricks College, then Idaho State University and graduated with a degree in Elementary and Special Education.

  I met my husband Adam, who is an Illinois native, while at ISU.  He was in the Navy and stationed at the nuclear installation in the Idaho desert.  I moved to Illinois and married Adam in January of 1993 and have been here ever since.  We will be married 20 years in January-I can hardly believe it.  I taught second grade in Villa Park and enjoyed the challenge of teaching students with many native languages. I got my master's degree through Saint Xavier University.  When my children were born, I stayed home until returning to work a year ago.  I now work as a special education teaching assistant at Plainfield North High School and am working on additional certifications through Lewis University with the goal of being a classroom teacher again.  We have three children; Aubrey will be 13 in February, Calvin turns 11 this week, and Raife will be 7 in December.  They are my joy and my life.  They make me laugh in so many ways, and keep me very busy!  

We have lived in Plainfield since 2006, and in Villa Park (Wheaton Ward/Naperville Stake) before that. 

I enjoy a bit of sewing, crafts,scrapbooking and gardening, but reading is my favorite leisure activity. Cooking is my least favorite! I have served in callings in the YW presidency, as camp director, in the RS presidency,  as a primary teacher, primary chorister, RS teacher and food storage/canning specialist among others.  I am always willing to serve, but it can be difficult to work around a nonmember husband and kids with special needs, so I sometimes feel isolated or left out. 

Some trivia about me-I once worked in a shop where hand-carved carousel horses were made and antique ones restored, and I have a 5 foot armored horse in my home.  I love to target shoot (but don't get to anymore) hike, and watch nature documentaries.  I remember lots of rather useless trivia and have horrible sinuses and a bad knee.  I have two lovely shetland sheepdogs that I enjoy walking, and dislike living in a subdivision where the houses all look the same and driving a minivan.  Some part of me still wants to show I am different and unique by living in a house with character and driving something cute and fun.  Someday I would like to travel the world.  I want to fly and take the train, Adam wants to do it by motorcycle.  The jury is still out on if or when one of us will get to pick.  So far we mostly stay home wishing we had someone to watch the kids long enough to go to a movie.  I do drive to Idaho every year with the kids to visit my parents who still have a big garden, and do not travel anymore. 

My favorite callings were RS Second Counselor and Secretary, because I got to know the sisters in the ward so well and do fun things for and with them.  I also enjoyed being camp director, but that was really hard!  I truly love teaching in RS though, because the give-and-take in the lessons is so enriching, and I enjoy hearing from everyone.  I love the teachings of the prophets (I've taught 4 now) and how the historical perspective and their wisdom clarifies so many things we have internalized and learned as church members, even though we may not know how we know them.  

Kaaren Fisher

What is your full name?   Kaaren Nokleby Fisher

Where were you born?  Where did you grow up?   Boise, Idaho  -- Boise, Idaho

How many brothers and sisters do you have?  Where do you fit in?  Oldest/youngest? I have 5 other siblings -- 4 brothers and an older sister.  I'm number 4 in the family order.

If you have children, how many?  Names and ages.  If not at home, where are they living?  ~~~~~ Children, Braden Fisher (24)  working in Denver, CO, Brittany Fisher (22) in Logan, UT going to Utah State University - Senior year, Laura Fisher (19)  at BYU, Freshman, Provo, Utah

What are some of the different places you have lived? Boise, Provo, Salt Lake City, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Texas, Scottsdale, AZ and then Naperville for almost 22 years

Your favorite color?  Green

Your favorite food?   Chocolate Chip cookies

What are some things that you enjoy doing?  Reading, walking.  Being in a bookstore or library.   Bad habit of playing angry birds (so embarrassed), would like to pursue genealogy more, watch old movies when time.

Share one of your most embarrassing moments.  When my daughters posted a video on Facebook of me dancing.  I have so many embarrassing moments.  I do manage to embarrass my children a lot too :)

Share something about you that no one would know about?  I worked for a senator in Washington DC over 30 years ago (Reagan era) or I danced with our  drill team in San Francisco for half time at a pro football game between SF 49ers and Oakland Raiders.  It was so long ago.  I remember seeing Frank Gifford (sports newscaster) and I thought he was so cute.  OK  he's much older now, but he was handsome then.  

Share a dream you have, something you would like to see or do some day.  Go to Italy again or New Zealand. -- Become a morning person :)

Name a book or movie that best describes your life.  Gilligan's Island.  Can't seem to get off my island and get anywhere :)

Who is your favorite Latter-day prophet and why?  David O. McKay  -- He was the prophet while I was growing up.  Loved his beautiful white hair and the many pictures of him by his beloved horse.  And my great grandma became interested in the church because of him.  She, also, thought he was sooo handsome...

What type of car do you drive?  Acura MDX

If you are employed, where? -----------------

Did you play sports/musical instruments/drama/other activities in school?  I play piano.   Many many years ago I played the flute.  I was in drill team through high school for the Borah Lions in Boise.  You would have loved our green velvety outfits with sequin down the front and our cute white boots.1975 style fake hair buns that we attached to our "Dippido" slicked back hair.  Quite the site.....

What was your last out of state trip?  Denver, then Kauai Hawaii

How long have you lived at your current address?  21 years