Karen L. Sparks

1947 - 2022

Karen L. Sparks

Mar. 23, 1947 - Jan. 30, 2022

OCONOMOWOC -

Karen L. Sparks, 74, died peacefully at home on Sunday, January 30, 2022 following several years of battling cancer. Karen was born on March 23, 1947 in Racine to Harvey H. and Lillian (nee Chernick) Watts.

Karen attended William Horlick High School in Racine before completing the cosmetology program at Racine Technical Institute, now Gateway Technical College. She worked for a short time as a beautician before marrying Edward D. Sparks on November 25, 1967 and starting her family. Married for 54 years, Karen is survived by her husband and three children: Leanne R. (J. Jeff) Momsen of Sullivan, Evan A. (Lisa) Sparks of Cottage Grove, and Ryan B. (Chloe) Sparks of Snohomish, WA; and five grandchildren: MacKenzie, Gavin, Grayson, Creighton and Fabienne. Karen is further survived by her brother, Glenn H. (Jane) Watts, her sister, Kathleen W. (Peter) Ogden, both of Madison; a sister-in-law, Myrna F. Hoover; a brother-in-law, Thomas R. Lawler; several nieces and nephews; and many friends. Karen was preceded in death by her parents; her in-laws, James E. and Marie V. (nee Flannery) Sparks; two sisters-in-law, Carol (Larry) Noskowiak and Bonnie S. (Thomas) Lawler; and a brother-in-law, Roger K. Hoover.

Karen was blessed with an abundance of artistic talent that she used to create various works of art, primarily hand-painted wood crafts. For several years she and her husband operated a successful business that produced decorative home and yard ornamentations. Karen's designs and artwork continue to be cherished holiday decorations in many area homes.

Her yard and gardens were a source of great pride and pleasure throughout her life, and she eagerly awaited the arrival of spring so that she could begin to work the soil. She would spend countless hours tending to the vegetable gardens, trimming the trees and shrubs, clipping grass and pulling weeds wherever one caught her discerning eye. Her industry and devotion to task set an example that has shaped the lives of her children

No matter what Karen was doing, music was her constant companion. She played the ukulele and the organ, and loved dancing and singing along with Elvis, county music or the oldies hits from her youth.

Over the years, Karen amassed a large collection of porcelain dolls. What started as a small hobby beginning with a few dolls from her childhood, they soon became another conduit for her passion and pride. She would go to great lengths to maintain a rotation of the dolls she had on display – each one meticulously posed and no piece of clothing out of place.

Karen had a deep passion for sports. While she didn't have a storied athletic career of her own, something she often lamented, she was the unofficial assistant coach for several youth soccer, baseball, and basketball teams, helping her husband who coached several youth teams, and shaping her own children's love of sport. Karen was well known for her exuberance in the stands, and never missed an opportunity to cheer her teams on with unbridled enthusiasm.

She also had a great love for her pets – dogs, fish, rabbits, at least one parakeet, and especially her cats. Whether she was carrying a cat on her shoulder as she moved about the house or stopping to pet one of the many cats that would chase after her as she did her gardening and yard work, she loved her animals like children.

Foremost, Karen was a beloved wife and mother who cared deeply for her family. Always direct in demeanor and not one to overlook a perceived failure, those close to her always knew what she was thinking and what she expected. They also knew how deeply they were loved and how much pride she took in their families and achievements.

A gathering of family and friends in celebration of Karen's life is being planned for a later date.