Sister of eleven, mother of six, grandmother to twelve, and aunt or cousin to more than we can count, Karen Ann Ackerland, 78, of Rock Island, Illinois, passed away in Sarasota, Florida following heart complications on October 11, 2023.

Karen was born in Rock Island, Illinois on July 19th, 1945, to parents Isabel Horton and Charles Schmacht, the seventh of twelve children. When she was a girl, Karen met her future husband John Ackerland, who was friends with her brothers. Young and determined, they married as teenagers in Morris, Illinois on July 23, 1962, and each returned to their own family homes after the ceremony. Eventually, they made their own home and filled it with their children: Dean, John, James, Alisha, and the twins Jacob and Joseph. Karen and her family later moved to Sarasota, Florida, but her heart was always in two places, split between Illinois and Florida. Karen had a strong connection to her family, and always looked forward to family reunions until her health began to decline.

A wanderer at heart, Karen always wanted to have a getaway car. She would take the kids on many trips, and the children were always at the zoo, the beach, the park, Disney World, or other attractions. She was especially happy when she got an RV that let her travel even more often, and she continued to foster her independent spirit when she graduated with her CNA license in 1988.  Always a dreamer, Karen was constantly making new grand plans of what she wanted to do next.

Karen was also incredibly talented. She won many awards and blue ribbons for her ability to crochet and was especially fond of crafting blankets for all of her grandchildren when they were born. She was also exceptionally skilled in sewing, and it was not uncommon for her to dress her children in beautiful homemade suits and dresses when they were younger.

On any given day, she could be found bragging about her children and grandkids to whoever was listening at the time. Usually, her other children and grandkids.

Karen will always be remembered for her beautiful crochet work, strong bonds with family, and stubborn refusal to be told what to do. We will always think of her working on one more crochet project, calling her sisters, children, and friends, and ordering more stuff from Home Shopping Network. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all those who loved her.

Karen was preceded in death by her parents, Charles “Carl” Schmacht and Isabel Horton Schmacht, her husband, John Clement Ackerland, her siblings, Rita, Carol, Carmelita “Carmie”, Walter “Babe”, David, and Wayne “Ronnie” Schmacht, as well as her great-grandson Darren. She is survived by her siblings, Kathy, Carl, Eddie, Donnie, and Tommy, her children, Dean, John, James, Alisha (Moninger), Jake, and Joe, her grandchildren, Sydney, Michel, Dylaney, Elizabeth, Ty, Rina, Tiffany, Bettina, Kelsey, Christine, Jonathan, and Maya, and her great-grandchildren.

Karen’s memorial service will be held in Rock Island, Illinois on Saturday, November 4th, at 1 pm, at the Quad Cities Botanical Center and will be broadcast on Zoom for all who would like to attend (see link below). She will also have a Celebration of Life following the service for family and close friends on Saturday, November 4th, at 2 pm at the Rock Island Boat Club. For more information on memorial arrangements, please visit the "Events" section of the website.

Zoom Information for Memorial Service:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/829…

Meeting ID: 829 3691 9080

Password: 324524

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