Obituary for Karen Lyn Licis (Whitehead)
Karen Lyn Licis, 72 years old, of Springfield MO, passed away from complications of several strokes over the past year, on the afternoon of November 15th in her home she shared with her loving husband, Steve Licis.
She was born in Springfield MO on June 6th, 1951, the only child to Hugh and Imogene (Faught) Whitehead. She was a 1969 graduate of Central High School where she solidified her life-long best friends TOK Karen Eicher and Carla Holmes. She grew up in the Springfield Area and had many loving memories and funny stories of spending time with her cousins and they remained very close throughout her life. After High School she attended classes at SMSU, was a homemaker to her two children Kelley and Kevin, an employee of Lily Tulip, and then by the 1980’s she had followed in her mother’s footsteps by becoming a proud member of the Springfield Board of Realtors selling for Carol Jones Real Estate Company. She assisted many family and friends with buying, selling, and advising on various properties. She was a wealth of knowledge to the many ways of assisting them in becoming homeowners.
In her earlier years she enjoyed spending time with her cousins, taking her children to the country club to swimming pool, reading, bowling, playing Ms. Pac-Man (where she held the record on several machines in Springfield), attending her children’s sporting events, and the love of lake life. Once her children became young adults she began shooting pool in the Springfield APA leagues by both playing and organizing.
Through pool league is where she met the love of her life, Steve Licis. They were married on November 29th, 1996. From this union, she was blessed with two bonus children Whitney and Andrew. In these years, she enjoyed her life of being a wife, mother, puppy mom, and grandmother. She loved to play pool with her pool league family, travel with Steve, spending time with her many cousins, keeping up with her friends, providing many counseling sessions, and was the host of many family gatherings and pool parties. She absolutely took pride in spoiling her grandchildren which she was very successful at.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her mother and father-in- law George and Jackie Licis.
She was survived by her husband, Steve Licis; sister-in-law, Judy Whitney of St. Louis; brother-in-laws, Charles and Wayne Licis of Key West FL, and Mike and Amy Licis of St. Louis; her children, Kelley Caffey and Bart Medlock of Conway MO, Kevin Heavin of Springfield MO, Whitney and Kevin Braasch of Springfield MO, and Andrew Licis of Springfield MO; grandchildren, Taylor and Aaron, Ethan and Shawnee, Caleb, Chase, Eithan, Tyler, Logan, Kyler, Bryana and Christian; several great grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews and best friends. She was also survived by her beloved dogs Chole and Oliver.
A Memorial Visitation will be from 11:00am - 12:30pm on November 28th, 2023 in the Herman H. Lohmeyer Funeral Home, 500 E. Walnut Springfield MO. A private graveside service will be at Missouri Veterans Cemetery. A friends and family dinner will follow in the home of Steve Licis.
If desired, memorial contributions may be made in her honor to the CASA of Southwest MO (627 N. Glenstone Ave, Springfield MO 65802) or the Carol Jones Recovery Center for Women (2411 West Catalpa Street, Springfield MO 65807)
Permanent online condolences, stories and photos may be shared at www.hhlohmeyer.com
She was born in Springfield MO on June 6th, 1951, the only child to Hugh and Imogene (Faught) Whitehead. She was a 1969 graduate of Central High School where she solidified her life-long best friends TOK Karen Eicher and Carla Holmes. She grew up in the Springfield Area and had many loving memories and funny stories of spending time with her cousins and they remained very close throughout her life. After High School she attended classes at SMSU, was a homemaker to her two children Kelley and Kevin, an employee of Lily Tulip, and then by the 1980’s she had followed in her mother’s footsteps by becoming a proud member of the Springfield Board of Realtors selling for Carol Jones Real Estate Company. She assisted many family and friends with buying, selling, and advising on various properties. She was a wealth of knowledge to the many ways of assisting them in becoming homeowners.
In her earlier years she enjoyed spending time with her cousins, taking her children to the country club to swimming pool, reading, bowling, playing Ms. Pac-Man (where she held the record on several machines in Springfield), attending her children’s sporting events, and the love of lake life. Once her children became young adults she began shooting pool in the Springfield APA leagues by both playing and organizing.
Through pool league is where she met the love of her life, Steve Licis. They were married on November 29th, 1996. From this union, she was blessed with two bonus children Whitney and Andrew. In these years, she enjoyed her life of being a wife, mother, puppy mom, and grandmother. She loved to play pool with her pool league family, travel with Steve, spending time with her many cousins, keeping up with her friends, providing many counseling sessions, and was the host of many family gatherings and pool parties. She absolutely took pride in spoiling her grandchildren which she was very successful at.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her mother and father-in- law George and Jackie Licis.
She was survived by her husband, Steve Licis; sister-in-law, Judy Whitney of St. Louis; brother-in-laws, Charles and Wayne Licis of Key West FL, and Mike and Amy Licis of St. Louis; her children, Kelley Caffey and Bart Medlock of Conway MO, Kevin Heavin of Springfield MO, Whitney and Kevin Braasch of Springfield MO, and Andrew Licis of Springfield MO; grandchildren, Taylor and Aaron, Ethan and Shawnee, Caleb, Chase, Eithan, Tyler, Logan, Kyler, Bryana and Christian; several great grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews and best friends. She was also survived by her beloved dogs Chole and Oliver.
A Memorial Visitation will be from 11:00am - 12:30pm on November 28th, 2023 in the Herman H. Lohmeyer Funeral Home, 500 E. Walnut Springfield MO. A private graveside service will be at Missouri Veterans Cemetery. A friends and family dinner will follow in the home of Steve Licis.
If desired, memorial contributions may be made in her honor to the CASA of Southwest MO (627 N. Glenstone Ave, Springfield MO 65802) or the Carol Jones Recovery Center for Women (2411 West Catalpa Street, Springfield MO 65807)
Permanent online condolences, stories and photos may be shared at www.hhlohmeyer.com