Karen Miesner

Karen M Miesner 68, of Manito, passed away at home on March 8, 2025. 

She was born May 2, 1956, in Kewanee, Illinois to Frank and Phyllis Reece.   She married Rick Miesner in Pekin, IL on January 25, 1975.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Rick Miesner and her mom, Phyllis Reece.

Karen was a loving mother and grandmother.

She is survived by her father, Frank Reece; Son, Sheldon Miesner, Daughters: Selina (Dean) Culp, Janelle (Brad) McGrane; Sister: Patricia (Kevin) Zilm, Brothers: Mike (Suzanne) Reece, Bill (Debbie Crank) Reece, Paul (Bonni)Reece, Phil (Debbie) Reece, Jeff Reece, Donald (Elaine) Reece; 6 grandchildren, Julia Miesner, Ricky Culp, Mackenzie McGrane, Abigail McGrane, Ava Rademacker, Joseph McGrane, plus many nieces and nephews.   

Karen worked hard and served others from her start at Jack’s Restaurant and Bowling Alley, in Washburn, Illinois. She met her husband Rick there. She later worked at opening a couple of restaurants in Central Illinois and retired as a food service director for the Morton School District.  

Karen was a loving daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and friend to all who knew her. She loved teaching her grandchildren to learn to appreciate and enjoy the outdoors. Karen was always gardening, bird watching, camping, boating, and fishing.  She worked hard making her yard look beautiful and loved a good bonfire on a fall night. Rick and Karen would invite everyone and anyone into their home and enjoy having family together for a fish fry! Her children were amazed of how she handled so many things as they grew up. She was an amazing mom; her children all called her super mom. They could not understand how she worked full time, attended their activities, cooked a full home cooked meal every night as well as feeding the neighborhood kids and kid’s friends; all with a smile on her face. No one left the Miesner home without a full stomach. You could find Karen and Rick with the radio cranked dancing in their great room to Bob Seger or Karen dancing with the cornish hens in the kitchen.  Her cat Smokey who came into their lives later in life followed her everywhere and was by her side until the very end.  

No Services will be held.  A Celebration of Life will be held April 5, 2025 .  Davis-Oswald Funeral Home in Tremont is handling the arrangements.

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