Karen H. Getz

Karen H. Getz, 70, well-known community leader, of Moline, Illinois, died Friday, October 5, 2007, in Trinity Medical Center, Rock Island.

Services are 11 a.m. Tuesday at First Congregational Church, Moline, with The Reverend Allen Mothershed officiating. Burial is in Oakwood Cemetery, Geneseo. Visitation is 3 to 8 p.m. Monday at Trimble Funeral and Cremation Center, Moline. Memorials may be made to Quad City Arts or The Moline Foundation.

Karen was born in Chicago, Illinois, on April 20, 1937, to Ezra and Olive Wright Hartman. She grew up in the Hyde Park area on the South Side of Chicago and graduated from Hyde Park High School.

She was employed in the advertising business with McCann Erickson in Chicago for over seventeen years. She became their food stylist preparing food for photography in magazine and television ads.

Karen was an avid sailor and met her future husband, Tom Getz, while sailing in a Detroit to Mackinac Island race. They were married on December 26, 1973, in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

After moving to the Quad cities, she became involved in many community activities and treasured the large circle of friends she grew to know and cherish. She was on the board of directors or a trustee of Arrowhead Ranch, the Moline Foundation, the Mark of the Quad Cities, U. S. Bank, Quad City Symphony Orchestra, Putnam Museum, Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau, Bettendorf Family Museum, and Marriage and Family Counseling Service.

Karen was a member of First Congregational Church, Moline, Tri-City Garden Club, and The Outing Club.

She was devoted to the Quad City Arts Festival of Trees which became nearly a full-time job for her over most of eighteen years. She was the Director of Festival from 1991 through 1994 and stayed involved on the Festival Steering Committee and a Director of Sponsorships and Co-chair of Designer Recruitment through 2003.

On January 30, 2004, Karen and her husband, Tom, were in a serious auto accident. She slowly recovered but never regained her full strength and awareness.

She is survived by her husband; step-children and their spouses, Dr. Thomas Getz and Margaret Burrows-Getz of East Grand Rapids, Michigan, Bettina Getz and Bill Judge of River Forest, Illinois, and Christopher Getz of Melbourne, Florida; sisters, Maurine Dempsey McCullough of Winfield, Illinois, and Barbara Packer and her husband Jack of Arlington Heights, Illinois; a sister-in-law, Barbara O?Leary; and by six grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, David.

Karen's family invites you to share memories and condolences, and light a candle in her memory at www.TrimbleFuneralHomes.com.