Karen E. Walljasper, 51 of Abingdon, passed away at 10:47 p.m. Sunday, February 25, 2018 at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.She was born January 4, 1967 in New Milford, Connecticut, the daughter of Ralph and Helen Rose Bryant Cole. She married Jason Keith Walljasper on September 4, 1987 in Oklahoma.
Karen is survived by her husband of 30 years, Jason; her mother, Helen Russo of Connecticut; three sons, Strauss Walljasper of Abingdon, Archie Walljasper of Galesburg, Otto Walljasper of Fort Stewart, Georgia; one daughter, Daisy Walljasper of Abingdon; one grandchild; two brothers, Alan Cole of Germany and Karl Cole of Connecticut; and one sister, Eileen Hudak of Pennsylvania.
She graduated from New Milford High School in 1985. She served in the Army for two years at Fort McClellan and Fort Sill. She later graduated from Kendall College on December 17, 2014. She worked at the West Central Community Services Head Start Preschool for the past 14 years and currently was a Lead Teacher. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Abingdon. She enjoyed canning fruits and vegetables. She was a life member of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. She was a devoted mother and enjoyed scrapbooking.
Funeral Mass will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 3, 2018 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 506 N. Main St. in Abingdon. Rev. William Miller I.C. will officiate. Burial will be in the Abingdon Cemetery where military rites by Harry E. Wiles American Legion Post #381 will also be accorded. Praying of the Rosary will be at 4 p.m. Friday at the family home, 918 N. Monroe St. in Abingdon, followed by visitation there until 8 p.m. Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Directors and Cremation Services Abingdon Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.h-p-w.com.