Karen Mary Karpinski's Obituary
Mount Pleasant – Karen Mary Karpinski, 73, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, October 15, 2025.
Karen was born in Racine on September 21, 1952, to the late Anton and Edna (nee Lavin) Homolka. Over the years, she worked in a variety of roles that reflected her strong work ethic and caring nature. She spent several years as a dedicated school bus driver. Earlier in life, she worked at SAF in Racine and later at Boston Market during its popular years in Racine.
Karen had many interests that brought her joy. She loved watching British television shows, exploring new places through travel, and researching her family’s roots and ancestry. She was also a fan of the Milwaukee Brewers and Green Bay Packers.
Karen will be deeply missed by her daughter, Christine (Daniel) Vargas; her cherished grandchildren: Tyler, Cody, Tawny, Cassie, Brandon (Angelina), Justin, and Ansya; and her great-grandchildren: Kayleigh, Skylar, Colton, Brody, Damien, Natalie, Zoey, and Avery. She is also survived by her brothers: Dennis (Elizabeth) Homolka and Thomas (Corey) Watson, as well as many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Marvin Karpinski; and her sister, Kay “Betsy” (Thomas) Strommen.
A celebration of Karen’s life will be held at Wilson Funeral Home on Friday, October 24, 2025, at 1:00 PM, with Pastor Karen Blackwell officiating. A time of visitation will be held at the funeral home on Friday from 11:00 AM until the time of service.
The family would like to extend a special and heartfelt thank you to Melissa from Compassus for the exceptional care, kindness, and compassion she showed to Karen.
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