Karen Diane Solbakken passed away on July 31, 1999 in Walnut Creek, California at the age of 55.

After graduation, Karen became a Flight Attendant and was the West Coast Check Stewardess for Seaboard World Airlines.  Seaboard was an international all-cargo/military transport airline that operated from 1946 to 1980, when it merged with Flying Tiger Line, which is now part of FedEx Airlines.

Karen was aboard Flight 253A, a military charter flight carrying American troops bound for South Vietnam on July 1, 1968.  The plane was intercepted by Soviet jets after inadvertently entering Soviet airspace.  The plane was forced to land on Soviet-controlled Iturup Island where the 214 troops and 24 crew members were detained for two days while diplomatic negotiations took place.  The female flight crew (including Karen) were allowed to sleep in a maintenance building on the second night.  After appropriate apologies, the plane was allowed to leave and continued on to Misawa Air Base in Northern Japan.  (Reference:  Wikipedia - Seaboard World Airlines Flight 253A)

After retiring from the airline, Karen was a Remedial Teacher in Oakland prior to her passing in Walnut Creek in 1999.