Karen K. Stewart

Karen Stewart (83)- Beloved mother, wife, and friend, passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 23rd, 2024. Born a farm girl in Iowa to Alfred and Norma Kramb, Karen later found herself in Michigan where she met her first husband Carter "Corky" Adams in Dowagiac with Corky graduating from Dowagiac High School and Karen graduating from Cassopolis High School. Together, they had two children- Sherrie (Eakins) of Mishawaka and Shawn Adams of Bloomington and settled down in South Bend. After the sudden and unexpected loss of Corky, Karen continued to be a dedicated, loving, and strong mother- raising her young boy and looking after her older daughter- doing all she could to be the anchor for her two children.
While providing a great life for her children, Karen met and is survived by her second husband, Denzel (Denny) Stewart, formerly of Buchanan, MI. Together, they danced, dined, and socialized with their many friends and family over the years.
Karen, known to many as "the old bat," "the matriarch," and farm girl turned socialite, loved being surrounded by her friends and family. She always looked forward to people dropping by for a cup of coffee or picking her up for an all-day jaunt around town. Karen never met a stranger and bragged that she could, "talk to a lamp post" if provided the opportunity. Everyone was in awe about how Karen could become friends with someone so quickly and her ability to tell you about a "strangers" life story after her "conversational interrogations." Her heart was filled with love and lack of judgment and her home was so welcoming to so many people over the years- typically providing you with multiple cups of coffee, snacks, and a conversation where you never knew where it was going to go.
When not socializing, Karen was passionate about keeping a clean house- often worrying about keeping her kitchen clean from Denny's snack breaks, meal preps, and cleanings that never seemed to meet her standards no matter how much he scrubbed. When not worrying about keeping her house clean, Karen would worry about the health of her friends and family, often checking-in multiple times and comparing ailments. Karen was an avid follower of the Royal Family and Hollywood celebrities, reader of People magazine, and watcher of the Hallmark and Lifetime channels.
Karen was preceded in death by her parents and her first husband Corky. She is survived by her husband Denny, daughter Sherrie (and husband Charlie) Eakins, son Shawn Adams, and four grandchildren: Kylie (and husband Talarrian) Franklin, Michael (and wife Jessica) Lord, and Sydney and Carter Adams as well as five great grandchildren: Israel, Nevaeh, Ta'Nyiah, August, and Noah. Karen is also survived by her brother Dave "Foo Foo" (and wife Linda) Kramb and Karen's nephews Brandon and Nate (and his wife Kyleigh) Kramb. Karen also leaves many other family members and friends that she loved so much.
Those wanting to pay their respects may look forward to a Celebration of Life for Karen in the Spring of 2025.
Friends and family may be comforted knowing that Karen is out there somewhere sunning herself at a patio table in the warmth of the Lord's sun, drinking coffee, listening to music of the 50's, smoking the occasional cigarette (shhh don't tell Denny) and enjoying the conversation.
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