Karyn Rae Weathered

Karyn Weathered, 61, of Naperville, Illinois, passed away peacefully at home on March 1, 2026, surrounded by family.

Karyn was born on March 24, 1964, in Oak Park, Illinois, to Walter and Penny Lewandowski. She spent most of her childhood in the Chicago suburbs and her summers with her Aunt Babe and Uncle Mario in Albuquerque, New Mexico, working in their Italian restaurant. After graduating from Lyons Township High School, she managed individual trading accounts for overseas clients on the floors of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board of Trade. She later became the manager of a 320-unit apartment complex.

On September 10, 1989, she married her best friend Brian, and together they raised two children, Matthew and Rachel. Karyn chose to stay at home for her kids, but as they grew older, she took on the responsibility of managing the back office of her husband's Porsche racing and repair business. She was actively involved in her children's schools and teams, and she served as the co-head of her garden club's annual college scholarship fundraiser.

Karyn was someone you wanted on your team. She was hardworking, reliable, and resourceful, and she was willing to drop everything to help someone. She was also strong; she was hard to keep up with on ski trips and bike rides, and having picked up tennis as an adult, she went on to win her league's tournaments. While she was competitive, she never took herself too seriously. She had a great sense of humor and easily laughed.

She will be remembered for her warmth, kindness, and generosity. She loved her family more than anything, and she was a loyal friend and confidant to a close circle of friends that she had for many decades. She also had a special love for animals, caring for her many dogs and cats over the years as well as tending to the birds and bugs in her backyard. An exceptional cook and hostess, she brought everyone together for Christmases, birthdays, showers, and other milestones.

Karyn faced a cancer diagnosis with strength and determination. During her 14-month battle, she participated in several clinical trials and treasured every moment she had with her family, always hopeful for more time together.

Karyn is survived by her husband, Brian; her children, Matthew (Emily) and Rachel (Mason); her grandchildren, Thomas and William; as well as extended family and dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Penny Lewandowski, and her brother, Thomas Lewandowski.

A memorial service will be held at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Karyn Weathered may be made to support brain cancer research at Malnati Brain Tumor Institute at Northwestern Medicine. Please mail your gifts to the attention of Ms. Ally Pellegrini, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Development & Alumni Relations, 420 E. Superior Street, 9th Floor, Chicago, IL 60611. Please include on the memo line of the check the following designation: In memory of Karyn Weathered. You may also give online here, https://tinyurl.com/donatembti.For more information, please contact Ally Pellegrini at Northwestern University at 312.503.0759.