Cleora "Cle" Karr

Cleora Carol Karr, 90, of Machesney Park passed away Sunday, April 22, 2018. She was born on August 19, 1927, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Wesley and Blanche (Kinder) Condra. Cleora grew up in Tuscumbia, Missouri. She graduated from Tuscumbia High School. After high school, she attended Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar, Missouri. She received her bachelor’s degree from Pestalozzi-Froebel Teacher College in Chicago, Illinois. She received a master’s degree in Communication from Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Illinois. She was employed by Illinois Public Schools in District 83 as an elementary school teacher. She taught 3rd & 4th grade at Westdale Grade School in Northlake, Illinois, for 32 years. Cleora married Charles Calvin Karr on August 25, 1946, in Tuscumbia, Missouri. They were happily married for almost 72 years. The couple moved to Chicago in 1947 and attended Second Baptist Church. They later bought a house and moved to Northlake, Illinois. While in Northlake, they attended Mannheim Baptist Church located in Franklin Park, Illinois. While at Mannheim, Cleora was active in many areas of service. She served as pianist, soloist, teacher, deaconess and most notably as the superintendent of the high school Sunday school department for many years. Possibly Cleora’s greatest service to her Lord and Savior was through Maplecrest Farm in Marcellus, Michigan. The couple purchased the farm in April 1964 to provide a weekend Christian camp environment at a minimal cost. Cleora was the early cook and overall administrator for the camp. Over a period of 40 years, middle and senior high school church youth groups from Illinois, Indiana and Michigan attended retreats at Maplecrest Farm. She shared her love of Jesus Christ with everyone she met. After retirement, the couple moved to Maplecrest Farm in Marcellus. The retreats continued at The Farm and Cleora was active in her local Church, Newberg Baptist. In 2010, they moved to Machesney Park, Illinois. Cleora was again active in her local church, First Evangelical Free Church in Rockford, Illinois. Cleora was an accomplished pianist and taught piano for many years. She loved to teach children, whether it was piano, elementary school or Sunday School. She enjoyed creating oil paintings as a hobby. She loved to travel; visiting all 50 states, Europe, the British Isles, Israel, Mexico and Canada. She is survived by her husband, Charles of Machesney Park, Illinois; children, Paul (Denise) Karr of Caledonia, John (Tammy) Karr of Madison, Wisconsin, and Mary (Steve) Christie of Bailey, Colorado; 8 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren with one on the way; and brother, John “Bill” (Connie) Condra of Springfield, Missouri. Predeceased by her brother, Russell Condra.

Service at 11 a.m. Friday, April 27, in First Evangelical Free Church, 2223 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, with visitation from 10 a.m. to service time. Burial in Argyle Scottish Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to First Evangelical Free Church. Arrangements by Delehanty Funeral Home, Ltd., of Loves Park.