Karen Hoffman

Christian Burial and Celebration of Karen's life will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 18, at Cure of Ars Catholic Church, 9401 Mission Road, Leawood, Kan. Burial will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Kansas City, Mo. Rosary and visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 17, at McGilley State Line Chapel, 12301 State Line Road, KCMO. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Karen's memory to either Sisters Servant of Mary, 800 N. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66206 or Cure of Ars Catholic School, 9403 Mission Road, Leawood, KS 66206. In celebration of Karen's life, those attending the services may wear bright colors if they desire. Karen was born in Sikeston, Mo., on Nov. 6, 1966. She attended Union Point Kindergarten, and St. John Francis Regis Catholic School in KCMO through the Fifth Grade. After the family moved to Florida, she attended Ramblewood Middle School in Coral Springs, and Pope John Paul II Catholic High School in Boca Raton. Karen graduated from J.P. Taravella High School in Coral Springs, Fla., in 1984. She was admitted to a Harvard University summer session studying French and Spanish after her Junior year. She achieved multiple High School honors and was an accomplished member of the Debate Team at Taravella High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish with a minor in French from Florida State University in 1987. She earned a Master of Science degree in Public Administration from Florida State University in 1989, a Master of Arts degree in Language and Linguistics from the University of Kentucky (U.K) in 1992, and studied for her Doctorate Degree in Language and Linguistics until U.K. dropped the program, only one semester before Karen would have completed her Doctorate. She loved teaching language and traveling to Europe and Canada as part of her vocation. She was involved in marketing and sales with various companies. Karen ended her employment period with JP Morgan Company in January 2010 because of her bout with cancer. She enjoyed her church affiliation at Cure of Ars Catholic Church, the Singles of Nativity Church, Rotary Club, among others too numerous to name. Karen loved to dance and travel. She made friends and found beauty everywhere she went. Her address book was full of names of people and places she knew from school, the places she had lived, and many from the foreign countries she visited. Her friends dated back to her grade school days. She is survived by her beloved daughter Elizabeth (Lizzy) of Overland Park; her parents, John T. and Alice (Wilhoit) Hoffman of KCMO; sister, Julie (Steve) Eveker of Evans, Ga.; a nephew, Evan Eveker; a niece, Sarah Eveker; aunts and uncles, Maureen Porter of Liberty, Mo., John and Ursula Wilhoit of KCMO, and Robert and Nancy Hoffman of Overland Park; and cousins, Lisa Hoffman of Olathe, Kan., Joyce (Mike) Cassidy and family of Olathe, Janice (Scott) Asher and family of Olathe, Sam and Kristina Porter and family of Centerview, Mo., and Blake Wilhoit of KCMO. Share a special memory of Karen at www.mcgilleystatelinechapel.com or send a letter for Lizzy to her grandparents at their address or c/o McGilley State Line Chapel.