Karen Louise Collins

Karen Louise Collins passed away peacefully on November 6, 2025, surrounded by the love of her family. Born on September 29, 1957, in Springfield, Illinois, Karen's life was shaped by creativity and a deep and generous love for children as a mother, grandmother, and elementary school teacher.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at the Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories.

Karen spent her childhood between Springfield and Cedar Rapids before living in Seattle, St. Louis, and Florida. After graduating from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana with a degree in animal science, she eventually returned to Cedar Rapids in 1991, where she and her husband built their life and raised their children.

Karen loved her family fiercely, especially her grandchildren. Children were the heart of her world. When her own kids left for college, she followed a calling she always carried within her and returned to school at the University of Iowa to earn her graduate teaching certificate. She went on to become a first-grade teacher, a role that felt less like a job and more like a natural expression of who she had always been. She had a gift for understanding children – especially the spirited ones she fondly called her "naughties" – and she found magic in the little moments. Her classroom was a place of wonder, kindness, fun, and safety for every child.

Creativity flowed through every part of Karen's life. She was a talented crafter, seamstress, and designer with an exquisite eye for beauty. She could make something lovely out of almost anything and she had an unmatched ability to choose the perfect gift. And though she rarely claimed it, she had a beautiful singing voice. The soundtrack of her children's childhoods was her voice floating through the car radio, singing along to Barbara Streisand, Bette Midler, and The Carpenters.

In 2017, when Karen was diagnosed with breast cancer, she chose the words "choose joy" as her guiding light. Over the next nine years, she lived those words with courage. She fought not only the disease but for every possible moment with her beloved grandchildren. Those years were filled with stories read aloud, block castles built, craft projects completed, cookies baked, magical Christmases, and treasured trips to Disney and Portland. She was a constant, loving presence in Oliver's life, endlessly patient and deeply interested as she listened to him play and create. When Marigold was in the NICU, Karen was there to hold her, sing to her, and surround her with love. During the pandemic, when Oliver could not attend preschool, Karen created "Grandi School," teaching him and his best friend over Zoom. Thanks to her magic as both grandmother and teacher, they not only learned but thrived.

Karen is survived by her husband of 46 years, Jeffery C. Collins; her children, Danielle Collins (David Matalon) and Brent Collins (Kati Collins); and her cherished grandchildren, Oliver and Marigold Matalon. She is also survived by her father, Leonard Lambert, and her sisters, Susan Connors and Alice Eger. She was preceded in death by her mother, Helen Lambert.

Karen leaves behind a legacy of joy, imagination, and unwavering love. She made the ordinary beautiful, the difficult bearable, and the small moments unforgettable. For over 46 years, Jeff and Karen closed each day with a heartfelt, "I love you'. Today, Jeff offers his final 'I love you' to Karen, knowing that their love continues beyond this life. Those who knew Karen – students, friends, family, and especially her grandchildren – carry her light forward.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Karen Collins Winter Wear Fund.