Karen Sue Short, 85, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, January 4, 2026. Born to Emerson and Dessie (nèe Blakeley) Moss in Springfield on May 7, 1940, she was a life-long resident of Menard County. Her grandparents were Oscar and Anna Blakeley and Elmer and Ollie Jane Moss. Karen greatly enjoyed her first 18 years of life in Oakford. She graduated from Petersburg Harris High School in 1958 and married Jim Short on August 3 of that year. They started farming in Greenview then moved their family back to Oakford 13 years later. Karen and Jim were together for nearly 42 years before his passing on June 25, 2000. In her youth, Karen knew everyone in and around Oakford (and possibly the county) and was seemingly involved in everything – often taking a leadership role. Some even called her a ‘pillar’ of the Oakford community. She was known to be generous, kind, a champion of the less fortunate, and keeper of the records. She also enjoyed time with family and friends, genealogy research, reading books, care-taking, doing puzzles, and all around ‘piddling’. She touched innumerable lives and will be missed by many. Karen’s involvement in local school, church, and community activities were extensive in her prime, but she chose the following as highlights for her obituary: an active member of the Oakford United Methodist Church; 20 years as a 4-H leader; 20 years as a Menard County election judge; and 25 years as Oakford News Correspondent for the Petersburg Observer. She was also a former member and regent of the Pierre Menard Chapter of NSDAR. Karen was preceded in death by her husband; parents; stepfather Elmer Anderson and stepmother Doris Moss; sisters Jane Ann Moss and Anita Peters; brothers-in-law Bob Peters and Stanley Short; sister-in-law Sally Moss; and brother Dick Moss. Karen is survived by her daughters, Diane Short of West Frankfort, Barbara (Tyler) Lakin of Kansas City, Missouri, and Susan Short of Champaigns; two grandchildren, Sara (Chris) Jaeger of Chesterfield, Missouri, and Michael (Brittany) Short of Mt. Vernon; six great-grandchildren, Lakin, Bennett, Julia and Siah Jaeger, and Blakely and Lincoln Short; brother Ron Moss of Greenview; sister-in-law Barb Moss of Petersburg; an honorary daughter Missy Ramsey; several cousins and many nieces and nephews. A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 8, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Hurley Funeral Home in Petersburg. The funeral service will be held on Friday, January 9, at 10:00 am at the Oakford United Methodist Church in Oakford. Burial will follow the funeral service at Oakford Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Oakford United Methodist Church or to a charity of the donor’s choice. Hurley Funeral Home in Petersburg is assisting Karen’s family with final arrangements. Please visit hurleyfh.com for Karen’s online obituary.
