Karen Worstell Obituary, Death- We are saddened to hear about Karen Lynn Worstell’s loss on November 2, 2023, and offer our sincerest sympathies to her family and friends. Reports put her age at 64. Karen passed away at home, surrounded by her family. Those who were close to her have been profoundly affected by her departure. Karen was born on December 30, 1958, to parents Freda Tobias and Jennings Davis in West Virginia. When she was young, her family relocated there, thus she has always considered it home.
Karen graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School, where she had taken cosmetology school, in 1976. Karen was a bartender for over 30 years, and her customers loved her for her warm and welcoming personality. She thrived in her duties as a mother, grandma, and friend. She enjoyed the holidays since it was when she could see her grandchildren and other loved ones and friends the most. Karen’s unique look was finished off with a pair of diamond stud earrings and other fine jewelry.
Her chili and chicken and rice both got high marks. Making Christmas cookies was an annual tradition for her, and it brightened the holidays for many people. Getting letters and cards from her grandchildren on their birthdays was a highlight of her year. She enjoyed the campfire more than she did either reading or doing crossword puzzles when she needed to unwind and think about life’s big questions. Karen, an avid eco-warrior, has nurtured the same Christmas cactus for more than a decade. Her cheerful personality shone through in her colorful collection.
Everyone felt comfortable with Karen because of her kind, outgoing personality. Everyone who met her was profoundly impressed by her. Her legacy will be carried on by her children Amy (Morgan) Hopson and Karen (Anthony) Italiano and her life partner Richard Wendt. Her surviving family members are her sisters Michelle Tobias, Lori Lennox, and Jacqueline Davis, as well as her brothers Daniel and Robert Tobias. Her descendants, including Alissa, Richard, Ian, Dorian, Tyler, NaLayna, and NataLee, are continuing on the family name and legacy she established.
Michael Tobias Sr. and Joseph Tobias, both of whom she had two brothers named after, died before she was born. Nancy Woodruff, her sister, also passed away. Karen’s funeral will be conducted at Augustine Funeral Home in Youngstown, Ohio (75 E. Midlothian Blvd), at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 8. Community members may pay their condolences to the family beginning at 4:00 p.m. Peppermints are perfect because they remind her of joy and are easy to carry about. Everyone who knew and worked with Karen will miss her dearly.
