Kara Dunham

KARA DUNHAM

CARROLLTON- Kara Michelle Dunham, 36, died at 9:09 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017 as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident on US Route 67 near the Macoupin Bridge in Greene County, Ill.

Kara was born in Alton on May 18, 1980, and from the moment she opened her eyes and made her first noise, she began making an impact.

She spent most of her life in Jerseyville, graduating with the Class of 1998 from Jersey Community High School.

Her professional career, much like her personality, was one of loyalty. She worked in food service and customer service throughout, and was a valued member of each and every facility that she graced. Many will remember her smile, wit and sharp humor as she served them at either Westlake Country Club, Tony's North, 518 all in Jerseyville, and spent many extra hours enjoying her time with Carla's Catering all in Jerseyville. She recently had embarked on a career change, and was turning her life in a different direction, as she had just successfully completed her liscensure requirements for the State of Illinois, and was soon to become an insurance agent with Combined Insurance, along with her sister and brother.

Whether you were 1 or 100, Kara could relate to you in a way that most could only hope to. She had a heart of gold, one that didn't judge or criticize, and lived her life in a true free spirit fashion. She was an ardent environmentalist, and spent countless hours volunteering her time with the Sierra Club, cleaning up the river, planting trees at the McCully Heritage Project in Kampsville, and had adopted along with Josh, a three mile stretch along Route 108 between Carrollton and Eldred, always finding a way to improve the environment. Kara had also recently marched in Washington, DC in protest of the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline, and was always up to defend those values that she held to dear.

Kara touched and impacted all those that were fortunate to cross paths with her. When she loved, she loved deeply, and knew no boundaries as to how she cared so deeply for her family. There will never be another Kara, and her family would like for all to know just how special and loved she certainly was, and she could not have made them more proud.

Surviving are her parents, Joni & Jason Gross of Jerseyville; Kent & Patty Dunham of Kane; a daughter, Kalista Jewel Dunham of Roodhouse; the love of her life and longtime companion, and whom she hoped to soon be her husband, Josh Osterman and his boys, Tristan and Logan of Carrollton; two brothers, Blake Dunham of Eldred and Brett Woolsey of Springfield; two sisters & brothers in law, Kendra and Phillip Young of Kane, and Bree and Jake Shain of Jerseyville; a step brother and his wife along with their children, Brian and Christa Dunsing and Brynn and Brock of Jerseyville; her beloved nieces and nephews, Marlee, Whitten, Peyton, Carter, Jacee-K, Jaden, Jaxx and Jonah; her grandparents, Tom and Donna Flynn of Jerseyville, Richard and Ruth Ann Dunham of Kane, Anna Marie and William Voiles of Eldred, Robert and Vicki Gross, Naomi Dunsing and Truman Hunter all of Jerseyville.

Kara is also survived by numerous aunts, uncles and cousins whom she cared for deeply and Mary Osterman of Carrollton and her family, who treated and loved Kara as their own.

Kara would not want anything "traditional" so with that in mind, friends and family are invited to a gathering on Tuesday at the Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville, which will begin promptly at 4:20 p.m. until 7:36 p.m., at which time friends and family may share any story or happy memory that they experienced with our beautiful spirit, Kara. Please dress casual and bring a smile and a positive attitude, and in doing so, you have honored Kara's life perfectly.

For those desiring, in lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville, and those funds will be used in the future to assist with the positive direction for the life of her daughter, Kalista.