Born on April 27, 1942 in Pontiac, Michigan to Diena and Walter Kimball, Karen grew up in Holland and attended Holland High School.
Karen was a feisty, funny, and incredibly loving woman who never met a baseball game she didn’t love. She was well-known for her ability to throw together a delicious salad or dessert, and for her whip-smart comebacks. She was also a voracious reader who enjoyed a good crime or mystery novel.
The one thing Karen enjoyed more than the Detroit Tigers was her family. Karen was a devoted mother and grandmother who delighted in spending as much time as possible with those she loved. As a breast cancer survivor, Karen was grateful for every day and instilled her fighting spirit in her children and grandchildren.
Karen is survived by her children, Kelly (Brenda) Hemmeke, Cindy (Rick) McCullick, Jeff (Deana) Hemmeke, and Debbie (Vern) Mulder, as well as her grandchildren James Hemmeke, Amber Gillean, Heather Smith, Courtney Goodin, Alisha McCullick, Joshua McCullick, Jacob Hemmeke, Jared Hemmeke, Marshall Barnes, Katie Crandell, Wyatt Barnes, Sophia Heron, Brook Mulder, Samantha Mulder, and Nathaniel Mulder, and 19 great-grandchildren, all of whom will miss her every day. She was preceded in death by her mother Diena Kimball, father Walter Kimball, brother Charles Kimball, and sister Joyce Leeuw.
A celebration of Karen Hemmeke’s life will be held on Friday, January 24 from 1-7 p.m. at the Port Sheldon Township Hall, 16201 Port Sheldon St, West Olive, MI. Family, friends, and loved ones are invited to join us in honoring her memory.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you simply take a moment to hold your loved ones close, as Karen often did.
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