Karen Katherine (Hostetler) Williams

Karen Katherine Williams, 78, of Carterville, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, at Herrin Hospital, after bravely fighting the effects of Covid.

Karen was born on December 14, 1943, in South Bend, Indiana, to Veronica H. (Quinn) and Allen C. Hostetler. She was the eldest of four children and the only daughter with three brothers, Quin, Craig and Kevin, whom she loved dearly!

The family moved to Herrin when she was very young. She attended Our Lady of Mount Carmel (St. Mary’s) Catholic School, Herrin High School and Indiana University where she studied Nursing for two years. Later, after a 29-year hiatus, she returned to Southern Illinois University to take classes in Health Care Management.

In the interim years, she was married to John T. “Tom” Williams. They had three children, Kirstin, David, and John. Besides raising her children, she worked various jobs which included waitressing, factory work, bank teller, and fast-food worker before entering the medical field scheduling surgeries and lab appointments for various medical providers at the Carbondale Clinic prior to the use of computers, a tedious task.

Throughout these years, she was very active in her children’s lives taking them to dance classes, musical events and meetings. She also coached baseball and softball teams, participated in the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and many other activities.

She became active in her church choir and the bell choir, first in Herrin and then in Carterville. She was finally able to devote some time to herself. She volunteered with Hospice of Southern Illinois after her parents had passed away. She also was active in the Williamson County Home Extension organization, helping and socializing with the wonderful ladies she met there.

The last 11 years of her life she shared her new home and life in Carterville with her beloved little Maltese “Daisy”. They were inseparable until her last hospital stay. Daisy has been adopted by her brother to keep her in the family.

Karen is survived by her three children: daughter, Kirstin Anne (Kyle) Carson of Herrin; sons, David Thomas (Joan) Williams of Mt. Vernon, and John Allen (Crystal) of Benton, Kentucky. She is the proud grandmother of Tayler Marie (Peter) Moniz of East Providence, Rhode Island, Jessica Delaine Epps of Herrin, and Garrett Ryan Epps of Herrin. She is also survived by her brothers, Quin C. (Mary Kay) Hostetler of Peachtree City, Georgia, J. Craig Hostetler of Gaithersburg, Maryland, and Kevin A. Hostetler (Bill Jamerson) of Carterville. She was a loving aunt to Quin A. Hostetler of Springfield, Illinois, Lyndsay (Randall) Laveau and their children, Levi and Macie of Senoia, Georgia, and Kirsten (Joe) Kline and their children, Fia and another on the way.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 1, 2022, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Carterville, with Fr. Mark Reyling officiating. Burial will be at San Carlo Catholic Cemetery in Herrin. A rosary service will begin at 5:00 p.m., Monday, February 28, 2022, with Sr. Phyllis Schenk officiating, at Riggin-Pillatsch & Burke Funeral Home in Carterville; visitation will immediately follow.

Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Karen Katherine (Hostetler) Williams, please visit our floral store.