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, German, 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 Alphonso Batten (the son of Theodore Thomas Batten and Daisy Sarah Camburg/Camberg). Lavern was born in Valley, Nebraska. Thomas was born in Wisconsin, to an English father, Joshua Batten, and an American mother, Lydia Wigersham Bailey. Daisy was born in Iowa, to Swedish parents, John F. Camberg and Marie/Mary Carlson.

Karen’s paternal grandmother was Nadine Lucile/Lucille Hering (the daughter of William Joseph Hering and Ada Lucinda Marshall). Nadine was born in Mishawaka, Indiana. William was born in Michigan, to German parents, Christian Joachim Hering and Maria Sophia Miller. Ada was the daughter of Amos Asa Marshall and Malinda Ellen Walters.

Karen’s maternal grandfather was Eugene Claud Hacker (the son of Winford/William Ellsworth Hacker and Nellie Bell Bunnell/Bunnel). Eugene was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Winford was the son of David Fox Hacker and Malinda Catherine Dunn. Nellie was the daughter of Charles Henry Bunnell and Nancy Jane Ozment.

Karen’s maternal grandmother was Pearl Beatrice Madden (the daughter of Henry William Madden and Nancy Ann Cox). Pearl was born in Indiana. Henry was the son of Richard Madden and Margaret Elizabeth Scott. 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 Alphonso Batten and Nadine Lucile/Lucille Hering – https://www.familysearch.org

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

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

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

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