Karen Joan Faler

Karen Joan Faler, 76, of Arcola, IL passed away at 8:46 PM on Saturday, April 19, 2025 at Carriage Crossing Senior Living in Arcola, IL.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 210 South Pine St., Arcola, IL. Father Michael Trummer will officiate. Burial will follow in the Arcola Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Monday, April 28, 2025 at the Edwards Funeral Home, 221 East Main St., Arcola, IL.

Karen was the first born child to Laurence and Lucille Conlin on June 29, 1948 in Mattoon, IL. She attended Arcola Schools, and graduated from Arcola High School in 1966. Upon graduation, Karen attended St. John's College of Nursing in Springfield, IL where she earned her degree as a Registered Nurse. For the next 47 years, Karen did what she loved most, nursing.

Karen met Mark Faler, who was from San Jose, California, at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, IL at a USO/Nurses' Dance event. Mark was in the US Air Force at the time, training in Rantoul from his home base in Lompoc, California. Mark had the best pick up line, "Do you have a smoke?" That's all it took for Karen and Mark, known as Fred and Alice in their military career, to spend the next 25 years together in marriage. They were married on August 1, 1970. They were married until Mark's sudden death in November 1995.

Together Mark and Karen had two daughters. Amiee Nicole, born December 20, 1973 and Lucille Marie, born August 14, 1980.

Karen's professional career began at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, IL, in the Orthopedics Department. This is where her love on bones and her active professional life began. Following that job, Karen ended up in the obstetrics department at Marion Medical Center in Santa Monica, California. Her career continued there until 1972 when she and Mark returned to Arcola after Mark's completion of his military career. Upon their return to Illinois, Karen continued her nursing career as an orthopedic nurse at Burnham City Hospital (later Covenant Medical Center) in Urbana. At Covenant, Karen served as the Director of the Orthopedic Trauma Unit (from 1973-1989). She then became the Director of the Ortho-Neuro Unit (1989-2000). The next step in Karen's professional career was being engaged in a collaborative orthopedic practice with Dr. Kenneth DePersio at Christie Clinic (2000-2003). Following that she served as the Lead Registered Nurse with OAK Orthopedics (2003-2006). Karen spent the last years of her nursing career as an Emergency Room Nurse at Presence Medical Center (formally Provena Covenant). Karen retired from her 47 years in nursing in 2016.

Karen's love for nursing progressed when she furthered her education by earning her certification in Adult Medical Surgical Nursing in 1984, and her Orthopedic Nurse Certification in 1988. Karen was a long-standing member of the National Association of Orthopedic Nurses (NAON). She served as Secretary from 1988-1992. Later, she served as President Elect in 1997-1998, followed by being the President from 1998-1999, which led her to be the Past President of the group from 1999-2000. Karen was the President of the NAON Foundation from 2002-2006.

After Mark's death, Karen led the People to People Orthopedic Nursing Delegation to Egypt. She was later selected to co-chair the annual meeting for the National Association of Orthopedic Nurses/American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Allied Health in 2005. In 2009, Karen was presented with the Presence Covenant Medical Center's Clinical Nurse Excellence Award. The following year, Karen received their Guardian Angel Award for outstanding care provided to patients. In 2013, Karen was a Delegate to the Emergency Nurses Association National Workshop on Violence in the Workplace.

Karen very much enjoyed doing presentations on the career she loved locally, nationally and internationally on topics including clinical practice, professional practice, leadership and mentoring. Karen was lucky enough to present in Scotland, England and Malta.

Locally, Karen was part of the Citizens Advisory Board of the School District, Arcola Fire Department Women's Auxiliary, and the Douglas County Medical Reserve Corp. Karen also served as Ward III Arcola City Council Alderman (1992-2001), where she served as the Police Commissioner for much of that time. She also served on the TIF Advisory Board in Arcola. She was a lifetime member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Karen also spent many hours volunteering at the Arcola Food Pantry, where she also served on their Board of Directors.

Vacations and traveling were always important to The Faler family. They spent summers traveling to San Jose, California to visit and spend time with Mark's mom (Adele Faler), sister (Johnnie Caldwell) and her family (Donald, John and Scott). Many great memories were created there. Other places of travel that the family enjoyed were Dallas, Texas and Kashabowie, Ontario, Canada with Bob and Natalie Smith and family. After Mark's passing, Karen and the girls continued their joy of traveling and exploring. After the girls started their own families, they would all spend a week in Destin, Florida with Grandma Karen. She loved nothing more than spending time at the beach and pool with her kids and grandkids.

Karen is survived by Amiee (Josh) Truex of Arcola, and Luci Englum of Charleston. Four grandkids: Mark Truex, Maggie Englum, Conner Truex and Grayson Truex. Other surviving family members include: Larry (Pam) Conlin and Mike (Shawn) Conlin, brothers-in-law Scott Lathrop and Bill Murphy. Karen was the aunt to many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents (Laurence and Lucille Conlin), her husband (Mark Faler) and sisters Janet Lathrop and Dianne Murphy.

After retiring, Karen planned on spending time traveling the world with her colleagues that became family to her. Unfortunately, that plan was quickly changed when Karen was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. This horrible disease overtook Karen in ways she quickly could not control. Amiee and Luci would like to thank the team at Carriage Crossing in Arcola, Transitions Hospice Team, Dr. Llano at Carle Neuroscience Department and Dr. Kathleen Collins at Christie Clinic Internal Medicine, and all of those who took the time to stop and visit with her as the ugly disease progressed.

Memorials can be made to the Arcola Food Pantry or the Arcola Police Department.