Karen Rose Worden

Cadillac - Karen Rose (Eickel) Worden, of Cadillac, died on Sunday, December 7, 2025 at her home. She was 84.

She was born on September 18, 1941 in Corning, Ohio. The daughter of Leonard and Lily Eickel. She graduated from TL Handy High School in Bay City, Michigan in 1959. She married the love of her life, John Worden, in Ypsilanti, Michigan on June 15, 1963 at St. John's Catholic Church.

Karen and John previously lived in Hope, Indiana for 30 years before retiring to Cadillac in 2004. While in Indiana, she was a member of St. Columba Catholic Church, and a fifteen year member of the Rural Haw Creek home extension club in Hope. She worked many years at Millers Merry Manor nursing home as the activity director for the senior citizens.

Since living in Cadillac, she was a member of St. Ann's Catholic Church and served in the gift shop for several years. Karen also volunteered for 3 years at Care Net of Cadillac, working in the clothing department. Karen enjoyed gardening and tending to the flowers around her home. She had a love of nature and enjoyed feeding the birds, wild rabbits and deer that crossed the property.

Karen had a passion for all things cooking and crafting. She especially liked to knit. Her specialty was hats, which she passed out to members of the family on special occasions. She also enjoyed reading and working on crossword puzzles.

Karen had a great interest in lighthouses and their history. She visited most of hte lighthouses surrounding the Great Lakes. Of special interest were the lightkeepers work and their family life. Her library includes many books on lighthouses that were collected through the years. In addition to the books, she has miniature models of the more prominent lighthouses.

Karen and John loved animals from Buffy the Basenji to Rusty the Chow mix, and five other dogs in between. Also included were many cats that strayed onto the premise. All the pets were treated like royalty and lived out their lives in their forever home.

Preceding her in death were her mother and father and her brother, Leonard Eickel.

She is survived by her husband, John of Cadillac; sisters, Betty (Bill) Murphy of Surry, Virginia and Gayle (Mark) Wood of Auburn; nieces, Kim (Joe) Shotwell of Bay City, Linda (Rick) Stein of Rochester, Gwen Murphy of Surry, Virginia, and Lisa Murphy of Richmond, Virginia; nephews, Bryan (Carolyn) Eickel of Lapeer, Steve (Renee) Eickel of Bay City, Greg (Laura) Murphy of Traverse City, Paul (Stephanie) Wood of Auburn, and Jason Wood of Alma.

A mass of Christian Burial will be conducted on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at 11 a.m. at St. Ann's Catholic Church with Fr. Michael Janowski to officiate. Visitation for family and friends will be held at the church from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. preceding Mass.

Memorial contributions in memory of Karen may be directed to St. Ann's school, St. Jude's Research Hospital, or the Missaukee Humane Society.

Condolences and memories may be shared online at www.Hitesman-Holdship.com.

The family is being served by Hitesman-Holdship Funeral Home.