Karen Cheesman

Karen Genevieve Cheesman was born on January 22, 1942, in Chebanese Township, Illinois, to parents Howard and Genevieve Comstock, her mother dying when Karen was only 8 years old. After graduating from Central High School, Kankakee, Karen went on to earn a bachelor's degree from Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, Illinois.

In 1964, Karen moved to the Quad Cities and began her career with the Rock Island Public Schools in the fall of 1965. Her first position was at Central Junior High School, teaching language arts. She eventually took a position at Rock Island High School, where she provided instruction in public speaking until her retirement in June 2002.

Karen was known as the "rock and roll" teacher with a "heart of gold." She shared her love of the band Kiss with her students with Kiss-themed room decorations that inspired news coverage in the Dispatch-Argus in May 2000 when the band performed in the Quad Cities.

For more than three decades at Rocky, Karen poured her heart and soul into teaching, inspiring her students to find their voice and inner strength. And although she had officially retired, that occasion merely marked the beginning of the second half of her teaching career where she went on to serve as a guest teacher for the Davenport, Iowa, Public School System for another 15 years. During that time, she also volunteered at Niabi Zoo, Coal Valley, Illinois, where for more than a decade, she was a docent and Junior Zookeeper Advisor, guiding young people in speaking to the public about their shared passion for animals. Karen also worked for Black Hawk College in the College For Kids summer program for Quad City Youth for many years. In addition, she worked as an usher at the Adler Theater in Davenport, Iowa, and at the Mark of the Quad Cities in Moline, Illinois.

Growing up on a farm, Karen has always enjoyed living in the country and has resided in the Fyre Lake community for many years. Karen was married to Charlie Cheesman for 15 years until they parted ways, and then, in 1984, she married John Glynn, who preceded her in death in the summer of 2024.

In 1977, Karen founded Eckankar and spent 47 years as a devoted Eckist and was very active with her church and fellow members.

Karen's love for teaching was only matched by her love for animals, especially cats and dogs. She was an active volunteer and supporter of the Quad City Animal Welfare Center, Milan, Illinois, for over 40 years. And she was devoted to her fur children, rescuing homeless felines.

For Karen, teaching was more than a profession; it was who she was. Though undoubtedly unaware, she was an inspiration to thousands of students with whom she interacted over the years. One of her special gifts was the ability to bring out the absolute best in people. And her positivity was reflected in the love she showed everyone she met. Karen made this world a better place and gave us all a rock to lean on when we needed it most. Hopefully, the lessons of joy, inner strength, positivity, and self-sacrifice this beautiful woman shared with her students, co-workers, friends, and family will be like ripples on the ocean, transforming the world in which we live.

Karen is survived by her feline fur children, Tigger, Smokey, and Genevieve, her friend and devoted caregiver Zach Marchant and his wife Rachel, and her close lifelong friends, Joy Burlingame, K.J. Rebarcak, and Shavaun Kidd. Join Karen's Facebook to stay up to date on funeral arrangements.

Karen Cheesman’s celebration of life will be Saturday, January 18th, 2024, at 1:00 p.m., at Wendt Funeral Home in Moline; 1811 15th St. Pl, Moline, IL 61265. Memorials can be made in her name to the Quad City Animal Welfare Center, Milan, Illinois.

Family and friends are invited to share memories and express condolences on her Memory Wall at mvcremation.com.