Karen Ann Wicks, age 79, of Gilbert, Arizona, passed away peacefully at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center on Wednesday, August 11, 2021. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to the late Rudolph M. Trapich and Alice L. (Lepak) Trapich, Karen married Dave Emerson in 1960 and had three children: Elizabeth, Mark, and Michelle. In 1987, Karen met Larry Wicks in Arlington Heights, Illinois. They married in 1991 and moved to Arizona with their two dogs, Barney and Pebbles.
Karen was extremely creative and passionate about her arts and crafts. She developed her own signature brand, Kar’s Kreations, where she designed floral arrangements, nativity baskets, wreaths, and Easter displays that she later sold in boutiques around Chandler, Gilbert, and Scottsdale, Arizona. When she wasn’t working in her craft studio, Karen enjoyed gardening, and tending to her puppies: Bailey, Samantha, Molly, and Gabby. In 1988, when Karen and Larry customized and built their new home in Gilbert. Karen was inspired to take on more of the interior design. On the occasion that Karen needed a break from all of her artistic endeavors, she was excited to visit her local casino where her family and friends only heard about the “winnings”.
Karen is survived by her husband, Larry Wicks; her two children, Beth and Michelle, who currently reside in Illinois; her stepdaughters, Shannon of Chicago and Kelly of Gilbert; seven grandchildren: Tyler, Ryan, Jordan, Jake, Brooke, Logan, and Maddie. She was preceded in death by her parents as well as her three siblings, Robert Trapich, Thomas, Trapich, and Mary Ellen Regan; her son, Mark Emerson; and her stepson, Shawn Wicks. The family is sincerely grateful to the many friends, the friends who are like family, and neighbors who have given Karen support and comfort over the years.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, August 18, 2021 at Mountain View Funeral Home and Cemetery, 7900 E. Main. St., Mesa, Arizona 85207. Viewing will be held at 1:00pm followed by a service at 2:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, please send cards sharing your favorite memory of Karen to Larry Wicks, 3615 E. Redfield Ct., Gilbert, Arizona 85234.