2026 07/02 – Karen Jones Robnett

Karen Jones Robnett, age 87, of St. Peters, Missouri, and formerly of Kinmundy, Illinois, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her family. Born October 9, 1938, to Edgar and Mary Jones in Kinmundy, Karen was high school Salutatorian, the 1957 Kinmundy Centennial Queen, and earned her college degree from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

On December 7, 1958, Karen married Pleasant “Bud” Robnett, wearing a dress that she had designed and made herself. Their partnership lasted 57 years, which, by any measure, is a remarkable achievement.

Throughout her life, Karen wore many hats – businesswoman, wife, mother, grandmother, counselor, and the person everyone called when they genuinely weren’t sure what to do. She gave that counsel freely, clearly, and usually only had to give it once. She had a rare gift for being exactly what each person needed: a source of strength when things were hard, a voice of encouragement when things were uncertain, and a warm presence at the table when things were simply good.

She loved her family fiercely and completely. Her grandchildren knew her as the one who paid attention – who remembered things, showed up, and made them feel like the most important people in the room. Because to her, they were.

Karen is survived by her three sons, their spouses, and three grandchildren, all of whom are better people for having had her love and advice.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bud Robnett; her parents, Edgar and Mary Jones; and her brothers, Sam and Leon Jones.

Funeral services to celebrate Karen’s life will be held at 12:30 pm, Thursday, July 2, 2026, at the McGriff Funeral Home in Kinmundy, with Shannon Bopp officiating. Burial will follow at the Evergreen Cemetery, Kinmundy. Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Thursday from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm. A meal and time of fellowship will follow at Kinmundy United Methodist Church.

Memorial contributions in Karen’s honor may be made to the Kinmundy Lions Club, the United Methodist Children’s Home in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, or Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The McGriff Funeral Home in Kinmundy is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements. To sign the guestbook online or to share a memory or story of Karen, please visit www.mcgriffandtriplettfh.com.