Karen K Benner

Karen K. Benner, nee Kunce, 75, of Mascoutah, IL, born March 10, 1943 in Rankin, IL died Thursday, June 7, 2018 at Memorial Hospital in Belleville, IL.

She retired from Mascoutah School District 19 as a teacher’s aide. She is a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Mascoutah, Women of the Moose Chapter 392, Mascoutah, and V.F.W. Auxiliary Post 4183, Scott AFB.

Karen loved her husband and her children immensely and her grandchildren even more. Throughout her life, she worked with children – teaching at schools for mentally disabled children, running the computer lab at Scott Elementary School and teaching swimming lessons to hundreds of children over the years. We often joked with her that she was “the world’s oldest lifeguard.” Karen loved to play Scrabble with her family (always a tad bit competitive) and to gather with her friends to play Bridge. She also enjoyed singing in her church choir and teaching Sunday school. She had an infectious smile and loved to laugh. She passed that love of joking and laughing to her children and grandchildren and taught them all the value of being kind and generous. She loved to travel and explore new places and was passionate about taking in the history and sights of every place she visited. She especially loved to hear her children and grandchildren’s stories of their travels and adventures. Several of her grandchildren are currently traveling internationally and she loved seeing their travel pictures until her passing day. Because several of her grandchildren are traveling, we will have a celebration of life later this summer so that all of her grandchildren can attend and share in the celebration.  She dealt with health issues for many years but always had the strength and determination to keep going and overcome everything thrown her way. In the end, she was surrounded by her children and went with peace and dignity. She will forever be in the hearts and memories of her family and all who knew her.

We would like to send a special thank you to Amie Reimund of Heartland Hospice whose passion and kindness was so appreciated. Words can’t explain enough our appreciation of her.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Anna Marie, nee Ingold, Kunce and two brothers, Robert and Paul Kunce.

She is survived by her husband, Noel H. Benner of Mascoutah whom she married in Schwer, IL on September 2, 1962; her children, Laurie (Todd) Fournie of Belleville, IL, Kelly (Dr. Marshall) Hicks of Houston, TX, Bryan (Julie) Benner of Mascoutah, IL; five grandchildren, Ainsley Fournie, Graham and Regan Hicks, Abby and Andrew Benner; sister, Barbara (Robert) Allison of Louisville, KY; sisters-in-law, Diane and Judy Kunce; and nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to Zion Lutheran Church, 101 S. Railway, Mascoutah, IL 62258 or Heartland Hospice, 333 Salem Pl., Suite 150, Fairview Heights, IL 62208. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting mollfuneralhome.com.

FUNERAL: A memorial service will be held 1 PM Friday, August 3, 2018 at Zion Lutheran Church in Mascoutah with Pastor Kirk M. Clayton officiating. There will be a Celebration of Life gathering immediately following the service at the American Legion in Mascoutah.