Karen Hester

Karen Louise Finney Hester, 75, of Carterville, Illinois, passed away
Tuesday, February 8, 2022, in Herrin Hospital at 7:11 pm.
 Karen was born February 26, 1946, in Herrin, Illinois, to John Clyde and
Violet (Murray) Finney. She was a proud Christian who grew up attending
First Baptist Church in Energy, Illinois. As an adult, her belief was
still strong and often said "God was in control".
She was proceeded in death by her parents and her only grandchild,
Dakota Lane Mitchem.

Karen is survived by her daughter, Sarah Mitchem of West Frankfort,
Illinois; her twin sister, Sharon (Mike) Ward of Meza, Arizona; and her
sister, Phyllis Houston of Herrin, Illinois.

Karen was the type of person you couldn’t help to like. She loved to
talk to people, was always ready to share her wisdom and spread her
positivity to others.  Karen would try to help others see the beauty
hidden right in front of them, even if she couldn’t always see her own.

For most of her life, she was a self-employed hairdresser. Karen ran her
own beauty shop in the back of the house where she resided in for years
in Carterville, Illinois.  There, she beautified and befriended a full
load of customers from town and the surrounding area.

She enjoyed camping down by the river at Devil’s Backbone Campground in
Grand Tower, Illinois, for a lot of years. She loved to go out to lunch
and take little road trips with friends.  At home, she enjoyed working
on her crafts. From wreaths to little gnome people and even oil
painting, she was always making something.

Karen will be dearly missed by her family and friends who were lucky
enough to know her. But I, Sarah, am the luckiest one of all because I
got to call her Mom.

Karen’s wishes were to be cremated with no services. Arrangements are being handled by the
 Van Natta Funeral Home in Herrin, Illinois