Karen F. Rhoades, 59, of Sullivan, died 8:55 a.m. Monday (August 20, 2012) in her residence.

Celebration of Life services will be 1:00 p.m. Friday in the Sullivan First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Charliam Renner officiating. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Thursday in the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan. Burial will be in the Oak Grove Cemetery, Bethany. Memorials are suggested to Macon-Piatt County Special Education District or a college fund for her granddaughter. Condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.

Karen was born January 11, 1953 in Decatur, the daughter of Virgil O. and Hyllis F. Daum Rhoades. She worked for the Macon-Piatt County Special Education District as a special education teacher at The Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Decatur. She also recently retired as a night office manager for the Sullivan IGA. Karen graduated from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, was a member of the Sullivan First United Methodist Church, Decatur Education Association, Illinois Education Association, National Education Association and Sigma Pi Epsilon Delta Honor Society.

She is survived by her daughter, Brean (Kent) Rhoades Schafer of Delavan, Wisconsin; mother, Hyllis Rhoades of Sullivan; sisters, Dereatha ‘Dede’ Pratt of Springfield, Kay (Richard) Schillo of Clarksville, Tennessee, Sharon F. Wicker of Bethany, Merry Rhoades of Glen Carbon, Amy (Michael) Taylor of Springfield; future grandaughter, Alanah Karen Schafer, several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father and two nephews.