Who is Mike Pence’s wife Karen – who snubbed Donald Trump at Jimmy Carter’s funeral? She has 3 children with the former VP, who she met at church, and taught at an anti-LGBTQ school while second lady

Jan 10 , 2025

Meet Mike Pence’s wife Karen, who taught at an anti-LGBTQ school while second lady and snubbed Donald Trump at Jimmy Carter’s funeral. Photo: @karen.pence/Instagram

Mike Pence’s wife of 39 years caused controversy in 2019 by returning to teaching at a school that prohibited condoning either ‘homosexual or lesbian sexual activity’ or ‘transgender identity’

Former second lady Karen Pence chose not to greet Donald Trump at former US president Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Thursday.

As seen in a clip that quickly went viral, Mike Pence’s wife – who looked stylish in a Karl Lagerfeld dress with embellished collar – remained seated and stared straight ahead as the president-elect arrived at the venue and did his rounds. Trump even shook hands and shared a few words with his former vice-president, marking the first interaction between the two in nearly four years, noted People magazine.

Mike Pence and his wife Karen at the Freedom Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center in January 2017. Photo: Getty Images/AFP

In his memoir, So Help Me God, Pence blamed Trump for endangering his family “and all those serving at the Capitol” on January 6. Karen had previously campaigned for Trump’s re-election in 2020 before the insurrection. “I just feel like I want to do my part,” she told the Associated Press at the time.

Karen Pence and Melania Trump in April 2019, before the January 6, 2021, insurrection caused a rift between their families. Photo: Reuters

Here’s what we know about Mike Pence’s wife, Karen Pence.

Karen Pence’s background

Karen Pence recording the audio version of her book When It’s Your Turn to Serve. Photo: @karen.pence/Instagram

Karen Pence, 68, was born in Kansas and raised in Indiana. She grew up in the Indianapolis neighbourhood of Broad Ripple and went to Butler University.

She reportedly grew up in a family of pilots. “I was born on an Air Force base,” Karen shared on the radio show Afternoons with Amos. “My dad worked for United Airlines. I kind of grew up around planes. My godfather had his own plane, and when I was a teenager, I got to fly with him and it just kind of got in my blood.”