Karen Jeanne Willis
October 11, 1966 – March 5, 2024

Karen Jeanne Willis was born in Dallas on October 11, 1966, the youngest child of Shirley
Jackson Willis and Arthur Paul Willis. She grew up in Garland, where she graduated from
Garland High School. She attended Southwestern University in Georgetown, receiving a BA in
history, and followed that with a master's degree in library science from Texas Women's
University. Between those two degrees, she began the masterpieces of her life, her children,
Kelsey and Garrick.
Karen served as a reference librarian with the Plano Public Library System at a number of their
locations where she made many lifelong friends. After retiring from the library in October 2018,
Karen had more opportunities to focus on her health, travel with friends, and enjoy time with her
family. In 2021, she began her fight against breast cancer.
Karen loved a wide variety of books, music, and television shows. She kept in touch with friends
across Texas and the U.S. through writing letters and with her Beany book group online. She
enjoyed traveling with friends and her kids, having adventures all over the United States and
across Europe. She loved Gregory Peck, babies, whales, live music, tequila, crosswords, swap
meets, Jeopardy!, baseball games, and taking photos with very tall people.
Karen succumbed to cancer on March 5, 2024. She was predeceased by her parents and her
sister, Carol Willis Pierce, and is survived by her daughter, Kelsey Willis, her son, Garrick
Willis, her sister Carol's daughters Casie and Shelly Pierce, brother Jim Willis, her nephew
James Bell, sister and brother-in-law Grace and Bodie Wilson and their sons, Jordan and Thomas
Wilson, and brother and sister-in-law John Willis and Dana Proulx-Willis and their child Rain
Willis, along with a plethora of other nieces and nephews, friends, family, and many others who
called her "Mommy."
A service celebrating Karen's life will be held at noon on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Williams
Funeral Directors, 1600 S Garland Ave., Garland, Texas and live streamed. Please, don't wear
black, and don't wear overalls! If you wish to send something for the service, she preferred
potted plants to flowers. Memorial gifts may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital
or American Kidney Fund.