Karen N. Schneider, 70, of Colona, died Monday, June 8, 2009, at Trinity Medical Center, West Campus, Rock Island, surrounded by her loving family. Funeral services celebrating her life were held Thursday, June 11, at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, Colona. The Rev. David Anderson and the Rev. Robert Hagen officiated. Burial was in Dayton Corners Cemetery, Colona. Visitation was held Wednesday, June 10, at Vandemore Funeral Home, Geneseo. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to the Karen Schneider Memorial Fund to be distributed to local charities.

She was born June 18, 1938, in Geneseo, the daughter of Thomas and Lillian (Swanson) Bartlett. She was a 1956 graduate of Geneseo High School. She married R. James “Jim” Schneider June 30, 1956, in Geneseo. She had been employed at the Country Greenery Florist in Colona for several years. She was a member of the Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, where she had been an organist for many years, and a well-known organist for playing at many weddings and funerals. She had been an election judge for many years. She collected flower pots and enjoyed refinishing antiques, gardening and spending time with family and grandchildren.

Survivors include her husband, Jim; a daughter and spouse, Sally and Mike Brockway of
Colona; two sons and spouses, Tim and Sandy Schneider of Coal Valley and Chris and Geri Schneider of Coal Valley; five grandchildren, Jason, Matt, Melissa, Eric and Beau; five great-grandchildren, Alexandria, Tyler, Chase, Tate and Ryder, and a brother, Thomas Bartlett of Waukegan. She was  preceded in death by her parents.