Karen Sue Forcone, 74, of Collinsville, IL, passed away peacefully on August 9, 2025. She was born November 5, 1950, to Lola and Urban Barylske. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Lola "Tootsie" Jarvis. She is survived by her two sons, Vincent Jr. (Lisa) Manini and Todd (Lizabeth) Manini, and the joys of her life—her six grandchildren: Lauren, Vincent, Kaitlyn, Meghan, Lucca and Violet.

A Life Full of Spirit: Karen was a free spirit with a fierce tenacity that could move mountains—or at least refinish ten doors during a quick visit to her son in graduate school. She trusted her horoscope, loved a good tarot reading, and had an artist's hand, whether she was painting decorative walls (using mistints for creativity on a discount) or tackling home renovations with fearless confidence. She passed her creativity and "get-it-done" grit to her sons, who credit her example for their own successes.

Her work ethic was tireless. Her circadian rhythm more owl than lark, she could work nights, grab a catnap, and be ready again for action. Friends knew her as the first to arrive to help set up for a party and the last to leave after cleaning up. She was also the life of the dance floor, forever coaxing others to join her in a disco jive or an 80s pop groove.

Her journey spanned many places. Born in Granite City, IL, and raised in Sewickley, PA, her personality bloomed in countless dance recitals. A long chapter in Steubenville, OH, brought her two sons and, after years of inconsistent employment, a desire for change. Illinois became her anchor for over 20 years, with stops in Palatine, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, and Batavia. Following a divorce, her dislike for cold winters, and her ever-restless urge to "shake things up," sent her California dreaming— first Corona, then Temecula, and finally Wildomar. The pull of her mother's love eventually brought her back to Illinois. In retirement, she embraced her final independent years in The Villages, FL, where she made her mark on the outdoor dance floors.

Passions and Pastimes: Karen's heart belonged to many things: the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s (especially Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman), upbeat music, and a well-played hand of Euchre, Pinochle, or 500 Rummy. She adored Neil Diamond, Fleetwood Mac, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, the Pointer Sisters, and even a certain tennis player named Ivan Lendl. She never missing a televised match if she could help it. She was also a coffee loyalist; Chef's Choice black coffee was her all-day, all-night companion.

She had a knack for finding treasure where others saw junk—garage sales, even those from a far distance were found with ease and delight. The low priced gems from these sales fueled her quirky designs making her repurposing skills legendary. Her wall and floor art decorations were eclectic — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus posters from the 1920's were paired with neo-pop art of the 1980's and 90's. Her antique beer sign finds coupled with bar games and poker tables created a casino like atmosphere that made you forget their basement location. She found delight in turning "less" into "more" and mixing the art genres in ways that only she could envision.

Karen's loves : She was devoted to her friends and family — while having a knack for being a connector of future friendships. She was also an instant friend magnet — making 10 close friends from strangers simply lounging at a counter of a local Greek diner. She kept these friendships through her epic phone conversations lasting hours, long enough to prepare dinner, feed the kids, and maybe even make a pie – her favorite being a cherry delight mix with whip cream on a graham cracker crust. When in the company of others, she was the ultimate host –giving warmth and generosity at her home, but also when visiting others' homes.

Karen's longest-running relationship (human or otherwise) was 25+ years with Otis, a parakeet with a high-pitched screeching and squawking that woke up her annoyed guests at sunrise. She adored Otis – petting and massaging the feathers on the back of his neck, having him perched on her shoulders giving her good luck during a dart match, and dancing together while they both bobbed their heads up and down. Her 4-legged animal companions (Poochy, Buckwheat, Motley, and Muffin) provided her additional love that was reciprocated by her frequent kisses.

Her casino games of choice were Keno and Poker, and she could out spell almost anyone making her a formidable opponent at Boggle— one of her favorite table games. She completed hundreds of puzzles that often became part of her eclectic art gallery. She typed at lightning speed, even using manual typewriter she would win several friendly office typing competitions. Her penmanship was so perfect it could be framed — the cursive loops were perfection and letter connections seamless and flowing.

Karen was immensely compassionate, with a gift for understanding others' emotions and offering comfort—often in the form of a much-needed hug. She cared for her own mother with unwavering devotion, visiting her daily in the nursing home, ensuring she was fed and loved. However, those moments took second to her joy when her two sons were together with her talking about life's gifts (and challenges), dancing, playing cards or just being silly.

A Legacy of Laughter and Love: Karen's humor and zest for life meant she could change course on a dime and find joy in any situation—whether that was grooving in the kitchen, being dealt a loaner in Euchre, or sharing lasagna or her famous banana cream pudding. She leaves behind a legacy of love, grit, resilience, resourcefulness, and laughter, and a reminder that life's greatest recipe is whipped up with a little music, a sprinkle of dance, a lot of coffee, and people you care about close by.

A celebration of Karen's life will be held Monday, August 18, 2025, from 10:00 am to 1:00 p.m. at Herr Funeral Home, 501 W Main St, Collinsville, IL. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer's Disease Association .

The family is being served by Herr Funeral Home, 501 W. Main St., Collinsville, IL 62034