Karen Pence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Karen Pence
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Official portrait, 2019
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| Second Lady of the United States | |
| In role January 20, 2017 – January 20, 2021 |
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| Vice President | Mike Pence |
| Preceded by | Jill Biden |
| Succeeded by | Doug Emhoff (as Second Gentleman) |
| First Lady of Indiana | |
| In role January 14, 2013 – January 9, 2017 |
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| Governor | Mike Pence |
| Preceded by | Cheri Daniels |
| Succeeded by | Janet Holcomb |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Karen Sue Batten
January 1, 1957 McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 3, including Charlotte Pence Bond |
| Education | Butler University (BS, MS) |
Karen Sue Pence, born on January 1, 1957, is an American schoolteacher. She served as the Second Lady of the United States from 2017 to 2021. She is married to Mike Pence, who was the 48th vice president of the United States. Before that, Karen Pence was the first lady of Indiana from 2013 to 2017. This was during her husband’s time as the 50th governor of that state. In 2023, she wrote a book called When It's Your Turn to Serve. It shares her experiences as a political spouse.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Karen Sue Batten was born in Kansas on January 1, 1957. Her birthplace was McConnell Air Force Base. Her parents were Lillian and John M. Batten. Her father worked for United Airlines. Her parents divorced when she was very young. Her mother later married Bernard Barcio in 1967.
Karen grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. She lived in the Broad Ripple Village neighborhood. She was the top student when she graduated from Bishop Chatard High School. Pence then went to Butler University nearby. She studied to become a teacher and also focused on art. She earned two degrees from Butler University. These were a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and a Master of Science (M.S.) in elementary education.
Career as a Teacher and Artist
Karen Pence has taught at several elementary schools in Indianapolis. These include John Strange, Acton, and Fall Creek Elementary schools. She also taught at the Orchard School.
After her first child was born, Pence started taking a watercolor painting class. This led to a new career for her. She began painting portraits of houses and historic buildings. She sometimes completed as many as thirty-five paintings in a year. Some were special requests, and she sold others at local art fairs.
When her husband was a member of Congress, Karen taught art. She worked at Immanuel Christian School in Springfield, Virginia. This is a private Christian school. She taught there for twelve years.
First Lady of Indiana
Karen Pence served as the first lady of Indiana. This was from 2013 to 2017. Her husband was the governor during this time. In her first year, she created a special foundation. It was called the Indiana First Lady's Charitable Foundation. Its goal was to help groups that support children, families, and the arts. The foundation also offered grants and scholarships.
In 2015, Pence started a small business. It was called "'That's My Towel!' Charm." This business made small metal charms. People could attach them to their towels. This helped them easily find their towel among others. The business paused when Mike Pence became a candidate for vice president.
Karen Pence also cares about honey bee conservation. She had a beehive placed at the Indiana Governor's Residence. This happened while she was the first lady of the state.
Second Lady of the United States (2017–2021)
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Karen Pence became the second lady of the United States on January 20, 2017. She took over from Jill Biden. As second lady, Pence worked to raise awareness about art therapy. She first learned about art therapy when visiting a hospital in Washington. This was when her husband was a congressman. In October 2017, she visited Florida State University. She wanted to highlight their art therapy program. This program had been around since the 1990s.
Pence continued to support honey bee conservation. In 2017, she had a beehive installed. It was placed at the official vice presidential residence. This is called Number One Observatory Circle. This helped raise awareness about bee habitats and pollination.
In 2019, Pence traveled to Abu Dhabi. She led the U.S. team at the Special Olympics World Games. She also served as Vice-Chair of Sister Cities International.
Return to Teaching in 2019
In January 2019, news came out that Pence was returning to teaching. She went back to Immanuel Christian School as a part-time art teacher. She stated that she was "excited to be back in the classroom." She added that she had "missed teaching art."
The school had faced criticism for its policies. Some people and groups who support LGBT rights criticized Pence's decision. Vice President Pence defended his wife's choice. He said that critics were attacking religious education. He stated that he and his wife were "used to the criticism." However, he was upset by the criticism of his wife. He felt that "major news organizations attacking Christian education is deeply offensive."
Family and Personal Life
Karen Pence met her first husband, John Steven Whitaker, in high school. They married on August 4, 1978, in Brewster County, Texas. They later divorced.
Karen met Mike Pence at a Catholic church in Indianapolis. She was playing guitar at Mass. Their first date included ice skating. They got engaged in August 1984 and married on June 8, 1985. Both were Roman Catholic but later became evangelical Christians by 1995.
The couple has three children: Michael, Charlotte, and Audrey. Michael serves in the U.S. Marine Corps. Charlotte is also well-known. Karen Pence has lived most of her life in Indiana. However, the family moved to Washington, D.C., for twelve years. This was when Mike Pence was a congressman. Karen Pence is also a trained pilot.
Pence is known for promoting art as a way to help people heal. She drew the watercolor pictures for her daughter Charlotte's 2018 children's book. The book is titled Marlon Bundo's A Day in the Life of the Vice President. Money from the book goes to charities, including an art therapy program.
Works
- When It's Your Turn to Serve: Experiencing God's Grace in His Calling for Your Life (2023)
See also
In Spanish: Karen Pence para niños
