Karen L. Hawthorne, 63, Farmer City, passed away at 7:30 p.m. Sunday (June 9, 2013) at Heartland Healthcare, Champaign, peacefully, following pancreatic cancer.

She was born June 29, 1949, daughter of Francis and Lucile Grimes Hawthorne, and lived most of her life in her childhood home outside of Farmer City.

She worked in the Champaign-Urbana area as a secretary, bookkeeper, office manager and administrative assistant. She also worked part time as a catering server, bookkeeper and farm manager.

As a second career she worked as a musician, playing acoustic and digital piano, pump, electric and pipe organs for church services, weddings, funerals and private parties, in restaurants, and most recently, independent and assisted living centers.

Karen volunteered in the community playing music at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center. She also volunteered and served on committees at the University of Illinois Extension, advancing from the county level to State Council.

She also volunteered at Illinois State University’s WGLT radio station, Piatt County Farm Bureau, Piatt County Soil & Water Conservation Service and Farmer City Garden Club.

She was passionate about life and loved music. She also enjoyed cooking, sewing and socializing. To the last days of her life she maintained her spirit and sense of humor. She truly treasured her friends.

She was preceded in death by her mother in 1969 and her father in 1999.

A celebration of life service will be at 11:08 a.m. Saturday at Morgan Memorial Home, Savoy, with the Rev. Rich Tomlinson officiating. Friends may gather following the service to remember highlights of their lives with Karen and to listen to some of her favorite songs.

Inurnment will be at a later date at Maple Grove Cemetery, Farmer City.

In lieu of flowers or memorials, it was Karen’s wish that you please pass on a kindness to a friend.