Karen E. Dillow

MAHOMET, ILLINOIS - Karen Elaine Dillow passed quietly into the presence of her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, March 26, 2014. Karen was born on December 29, 1943 in East Saint Louis, Illinois as the only child of John and Della G. (Smith) Boswell. On June 14, 1963 she married Gordon Rex Dillow. She is preceded in death by her parents and by her beloved friend and husband Gordon on July 24, 2013. She is survived by her two children, Robert C. Dillow and Janna E. Koziol, Jannas husband Quincey A. Koziol, her four grandchildren, Audrey Morgan Grace, Olivia Arden Hope, Duncan Joshua Justice, Owen Nathaniel Righteous and her beloved cat, Sweet Pea. Karen received her Bachelors of Arts Degree from Texas A&M University in Elementary Education. Along with being a stay-at-home mom and small business owner, she was most recently the surgery scheduler for the Carle Orthopedics Department. Always willing to put others first and make sure they were cared for and looked after, Karen was truly a self-sacrificing, self-sufficient and independent woman. She had a strong work ethic, was extremely proud to be a part of the Carle Orthopedics Department and was humbly driven to help others. A loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and friend, Karen was devoted to her family and friends. Karen and Gordon celebrated fifty years of marriage on June 14, 2013 and she instilled the love, grace and commitment of their marriage into their family and friends. She loved her husband, her children, her grandchildren and treasured her many dear friends. She was an avid walker, reader, painter, gardener and antique collector. She loved showing hospitality towards others and had deep love and compassion for her many animals. She enjoyed holidays and birthdays, faithfully honoring the memories of those who had passed before her, and was always ready to host a gathering. Her quick wit, sense of humor, willingness to invite and include others as part of the group and humble spirit brought smiles, laughter, warmth and comfort to those around her. Karen was a member of Windsor Road Christian Church. She was baptized at an early age and lived her life as a committed Christian quietly sharing her faith with those around her. As child of the one true God she was committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and received the comfort of the Holy Spirit. She was a firm believer in the power of prayer, the truth of scripture and Gods graceful gift of salvation through belief in Jesus Christ. Visitation will be held from 4-8pm on Monday, March 31st, 2014, at Sunset Funeral Homes, Champaign-Urbana Chapel, 710 North Neil Street, Champaign, Illinois. A joyful Celebration of Karens life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1st, 2014, at Sunset Funeral Home, with burial to follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Urbana. Memorial contributions in Karens memory may be made to Judah Christian School or to the Carle Center for Philanthropy - Mills Breast Cancer Institute.