Karen Brunke Hehn

Karen Brunke Hehn

Karen Brunke Hehn, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully on June 27, 2025, at the age of 81, following a brief illness. She was surrounded by her loving family in her final moments.

Karen was born on July 9, 1943, in Harvey, Illinois, to Walter and Maxine (Lippincott) Brunke. She attended Thornton Township High School before going on to Monmouth College, where she earned her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. Monmouth was also where she met the love of her life, Robert J. Hehn. They married in 1965 and later both earned master's degrees from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, pursuing their shared passion for education.

Karen dedicated her professional life to education. She began her career as a teacher, nurturing the curiosity and growth of countless students. Later in life, she found great fulfillment working as a librarian, combining her lifelong love of learning, reading, and community service.

A passionate lover of music, Karen spent many joyful years singing in Gerry Traxler's Choral Dynamics, as well as the church choir at Community Protestant Church in Mundelein, IL and The David Johnson Chorus of Dresden, TN, where she shared her voice and spirit, enriching her community and creating lasting friendships.

Karen also believed deeply in civic engagement. She was an active member of the Henry County Democratic Women, where she worked alongside others to advocate for the values she believed in.

She was a proud and devoted mother to her two daughters, Dawn (Hehn) Nicolai (married to Jeffrey Nicolai) and Wendy (Hehn) Laufersweiler (married to Jonathan Laufersweiler). She treasured her role as a grandmother and took deep joy in her grandchildren, Margot and Cora Laufersweiler, and stepgrandchildren, Joshua and Jordan Nicolai. She was known for her quiet generosity, and her granddaughters fondly remember how she would discreetly slip them a few dollars with a smile -- small gestures that spoke volumes of her love.

She is also survived by her brother, Richard Brunke, who laughs at the memories of her stealing the TV knob so she could watch American Bandstand, when he wanted to watch The Three Stooges.

She will be remembered for her warmth, grace, quiet strength, and deep love of learning and music. Her kindness touched everyone who knew her, and her legacy will live on through her family, friends, and community.

The family kindly requests donations be made to your local ASPCA, Cancer Research Institute Inc., or the Alzheimer's Association, in Karen’s memory.