Karen Pence

Birth Name: Karen Sue Batten

Place of Birth: McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, U.S.

Date of Birth: January 1, 1957

Ethnicity: English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, one eighth Swedish

Karen Pence is an American educator, schoolteacher, and painter. She is married to Mike Pence, who was the 48th Vice President of the United States. She was thus the Second Lady of the United States, from 2017 to 2021.

She is the daughter of Lillian (Hacker) and John Marshall Batten, a United Airlines official. She was raised in Broad Ripple Village, Indianapolis. Her stepfather, Bernard F. Barcio, was Italian-American.

Karen and Mike Pence have three children together, including writer Charlotte Pence Bond. Raised as Catholic, they converted to Evangelical Christianity together by 1995.

Karen’s paternal grandfather was Lavern A. Batten (the son of Theodore Thomas Batten and Daisy S. Camburg/Camberg). Lavern was born in Valley, Nebraska. Thomas was born in Wisconsin, to an English father. Daisy was born in Iowa, to Swedish parents.

Karen’s paternal grandmother was Nadine Lucile/Lucille Hering (the daughter of William J. Hering and Ada L. Marshall). Nadine was born in Mishawaka, Indiana.

Karen’s maternal grandfather was Eugene C. Hacker (the son of William Hacker and Nellie N. Bunnell/Bunnel). Eugene was born in Indiana. William was the son of David Fox Hacker and Malinda Catherine Dunn.

Karen’s maternal grandmother was Pearl Beatrice Madden (the daughter of Henry William Madden, Sr. and Nancy Ann Cox). Pearl was born in Indiana. Henry was the son of Richard Madden. Nancy was the daughter of Holloway Cox and Sabrina Susie Williams.

Sources: Genealogy of Karen Pence – https://www.geni.com

Marriage record of Karen’s paternal grandparents, Lavern A. Batten and Nadine Lucile/Lucille Hering – https://www.familysearch.org

Karen’s paternal grandparents, Lavern A. Batten and Nadine Lucile/Lucille Hering, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Karen’s paternal grandfather, Lavern A. Batten, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Karen’s paternal great-grandparents, Theodore Thomas Batten and Daisy S. Camburg/Camberg – https://www.familysearch.org

Karen’s paternal great-grandparents, Theodore Thomas Batten and Daisy S. Camburg/Camberg, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org