September 19, 1951 – January 9, 2022
Karen Jean DePorto, age 70, of New Lenox passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, January 9, 2022. Karen was born September 19, 1951, in Joliet, Illinois. The oldest of two daughters, Karen grew up in Frankfort. She graduated from Lincoln-Way Community High School in 1969. During high school she worked at her parents A&W in Frankfort and participated in the Lincoln-Marching Band, beginning her lifelong love of L-W Marching Band.
After high school, Karen attended SIU Carbondale for two years. She then returned to Frankfort to manage her parents’ A&W in Frankfort and later in New Lenox. After the A&Ws were sold, she transitioned into her career in the transportation industry with a job at Warning Charter Service in Frankfort. Starting as a bus driver, she eventually moved into a management position before accepting her dream job at her alma mater as the transportation coordinator for Lincoln-Way District 210 and Lincoln-Way Area Special Education District 843 in 1990. Everyone knows, once a Knight always a Knight. During her time at Lincoln-Way, she became very active with the marching band, acting as a chaperone on numerous trips to competitions, bowl games, and even once to the presidential inauguration. She also loved working local Lincoln-Way sporting events. While working at Lincoln-Way she made many lifelong friends who she continued to see regularly even after her retirement in 2013.
Karen not only loved Lincoln-Way athletics, but she was also a lifelong Chicago White Sox and Bears fan. Her license plate is even BearSox. She used to regularly attend White Sox games with her sister Carol and friends back in the 80s. In fact, somewhere out there on a cassette tape exists a semi-professional recording of Karen and other friends in the Sox Supporters group singing “Hey, White Sox!” Even though she never attended many Bears games, she followed them faithfully through the years, even refusing to take phone calls during games. When her dad moved in with her, one of their favorite activities to do together was watching all of the Chicago sports teams.
Everyone who knew Karen could tell you how much she loved traveling, especially regaling people with stories and photos upon her return. She grew up loving her family trips with cousins to Michigan and, once older, began planning trips of her own all over the country. Some of her favorite memories were of trips to different national parks, and she especially loved talking about her cruise to Alaska with her good friend Barb. She also loved going almost every summer up to Minnesota to stay at her dad’s place and enjoy the fishing. Karen really loved taking her nieces Alyson and Margaret and her nephew Eric to Minnesota, where she would help them reel in their catches and take them on shopping trips to take advantage of the no sales tax! She didn’t just stick to the US in her travels, but also took many trips abroad with friends, including Italy, China, and the Caribbean. Karen had particularly fond memories of her time in the Netherlands, enjoying seeing the place many of her ancestors had immigrated from.
Right up there with her love of traveling was her love of animals, especially the pet dog companions she had throughout the years. First there was Brit, then Max, then Payton (named after her favorite Bears player), and lastly Luka. She loved her dogs like they were her children, and spent many happy hours caring for them. Karen also loved watching the birds outside her house, religiously keeping her many bird feeders full and enjoying her collection of bird houses.
Karen is survived by her loving family, sister Carol (John) Johnson of Homer Glen, IL, and nieces and nephew Alyson, Margaret, and Eric. She is also survived by her aunt Lois DePorto, long time childhood friend Dianne (Ebert) Schultz and world-wide traveling buddy Barb Rizzo and numerous cousins and many friends.
Karen was preceded in death by her parents Wayne “Jake” (2020) and Henrietta (1996).
Karen was a very active member of Illinois Association for Pupil Transportation (Central Region board member for 2 terms & president for 2 terms). She was a lifelong member of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ & served on the Church Council, taught Sunday School, & was a youth group advisor. She was also a member of Nova Star Chapter 187 Order of the Eastern Star of Illinois. She served as secretary/treasurer for the Pleasant Hill Cemetery Association.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Lincoln-Way Marching Band 1801 E Lincoln Hwy New Lenox IL 60451 or St Peter’s United Church of Christ 12 W Sauk Trail Frankfort IL 60423
January 17, 2022 – 10:30am cst
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