Karen Joan Turney, 77, of Galesburg, died at 3:20 p.m. Saturday, May 27, 2017 in Rosewood Care Center.
She was born December 19, 1939, in Elmwood, Illinois, the daughter of Edward John and Helen Hope (Zink) Kleen. She graduated from Elmwood Community High School as Valedictorian in 1957 and from Carl Sandburg College in 1979.
She married Phillip E. Turney in 1958, in Galesburg. Karen started her professional career at Butler Manufacturing Company in 1957. She resumed employment in 1970, first at Alton Box, then went on to work at Carl Sandburg College, Protexall, Galesburg Data Services, and Bridgeway. She retired in 2005. She was a member of the Methodist Church in Elmwood.
Karen enjoyed playing and digging in the dirt in her yard with her flowers and garden. When the weather was bad, she kept busy sewing, crocheting, crafting, solving crossword puzzles, and working on family genealogy. She enjoyed walking also, especially with her Yorkies, Tigre and Zoey, and overnight visits with Tyson and Buddy were a great pleasure to her. Family reunions with the Kleen Kamp Kousins was a special annual event, as well as the ECHS Class of 1957 monthly lunch meetings. She also enjoyed weekly lunches with friends and former co-workers. Karen loved to bowl and golf and enjoyed spectator sports. She enjoyed traveling all over the United States with family members from 2004 until the January 1, 2008 Rose Bowl game to see the Illini Football Team play.
She is survived by four children, Joan Kimberly Reda of Rock Island, Illinois, Jeffrey Phillip Turney of Hermosa Beach, California, Jay Edward Turney and wife, Diane Kay Glasnovich Turney of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and Jill Kristine Turney of Davenport, Iowa; six grandchildren, James Daniel Burkhalter and wife, Brooke Nicole Bulman Burkhalter of Iowa City, Iowa, Kourtney Joan Burkhalter Mannall and husband, Jonathon Edward Mannall of Davenport, Iowa, Jason Gerard Reda of Champaign, Illinois, Amy Lynn Turney Tucker and husband, Saint Andrew Tucker IV of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, Sarah Ann Turney Patterson and husband, Blake Ryan Patterson of Murfreesboro, and Abeni Ayn Shaw-Tilgner of Chicago; eight great grandchildren, Nora Shay Barnett and Reese Lilian Barnett of Davenport, Hailey Jo Tucker, Saint Andrew Tucker V, and Emma Beth Tucker of Mt. Juliet, Emmett James Burkhalter and Wyatt James Burkhalter of Iowa City, and Ivey Jo Patterson of Murfreesboro; a sister, Marianne Theobald of Canton, Illinois; five nieces, Erin Brooke Berry and husband, Dr. Kevin Berry of Fairbanks, Alaska, Shaun Kelley Devlin of Washington, D.C., Riley Kate Devlin of Fairbanks, Andra Britte Chamberlin and husband, Dr. Jason Chamberlin of Canton, and Alexandra Rae Chamberlin of Canton; and one nephew, Jace Tyler Chamberlin of Canton. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Visitation will be 9:30 to 11 a.m. Friday, June 2, 2017 at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Galesburg Chapel. Funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Knox County Humane Society, Guardian Angels Humane Society, or Elmwood Historical Society. Online condolences may be made at www.h-p-w.com.
