Karen S. Burkett's Obituary
Mrs. Karen S. Burkett, age 65, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 23, 2021 with her family by her side. She was born on November 3, 1955 to James and Ida (Stokes) Stead in Hart, MI. A lifelong resident of the area, Karen married William “Bill” Burkett on August 1, 1975 and they spent 46 happy years together. Karen worked at Howmet Aerospace as a trade compliance officer for 22 years and had the opportunity to travel the world for the company. Karen attended Reeths-Puffer High School where she was a majorette in the marching band. She enjoyed playing golf and was a member at Eagle Island Golf Course. She was an avid Detroit Tigers fan, cheering them on whenever the team did something good with her famous exclamation, “Whoo-hoo, Pepper!” making sure her dog, Pepper, joined in on the celebration. She also enjoyed spending time in her garden, tending to her flowers. Most of all, Karen loved spending time with her four grandchildren and made sure to spoil them any chance she got. Karen is survived by her husband, Bill; daughters, Amy (Matt) Johnson and Lori Gosselin; grandchildren, Chloe and Ethan Johnson and Morgan and Weston Gosselin; brother, Phil (Kathi) Stead; sister, Susan Stead; and cousins, Gary and Mona McCaulley. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Leonard Stead. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, August 31 at The Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services, 6291 S. Harvey St., Norton Shores, MI 49444. Visitation with the family will be one hour prior to the service, from 10:00-11:00 AM. Please feel free to share a memory with the family at www.sytsemafh.com.
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