August 24 1954 January 6 2023
Karen Denise Chotkowski of Fayetteville, Arkansas August 24, 1954 – January 6, 2023 Our beloved Karen D. Jones Chotkowski, born in Lake Charles, LA. on August 24, 1954, arrived to Joel (J.L.) and Maxine Jones, passed peaceably from this life during the night of January 6, 2023. From age 7, she declared that she would attend the University of Arkansas following in her Dad’s footsteps when she saw his name inscribed in the sidewalk in front of Old Main. No family member doubted her resolute declaration. After completing 2 degrees (Biology and Civil Engineering), she married the man whom she noted as ‘the best listener’ she’s ever known: Henry Chotkowski. They moved to Washington D.C. for a dozen years, where she worked for the US Patent Office. But the calling and song of Arkansas continually resonated in her heart and in the fall of 1994 they returned finally to Fayetteville as ‘lifers’. Karen participated in multiple groups and guilds. She received awards for competitive bowling in Virginia and first place awards for quilting; she’s a skilled weaver, knitter, reader, art lover, and baker of breads. The following descriptive words of her life’s navigation are mostly understatements, but those that know her will recognize these qualities: exceedingly kind, generous, thoughtfulness, genuine caring of people and animals, deep listening, hilarious anecdotal commenter, fun-filled adventurer, creative thinking/ processing, and clearly intentional. Karen is survived by her husband Henry, her sister Janet Lantrip (husband Keith) recently relocated to Fayetteville from Texas; brother Tommy Jones, planning relocation to Fayetteville; and younger brother Joel Jones (wife Maita) who relocated to Fayetteville in 2020 with their four children: Joel, Isaac, Aiden, and Annabelle; her brothers-in-law John Chotkowski (wife Jacqueline) of New York and Bill Chotkowski (wife Anne) of Florida. Various nieces and nephews of 11 have spent their summer vacations with Karen and Henry. Her great nieces and nephews number 44! They dwell in the various states of Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Texas, and Oklahoma. Cremation arrangements were entrusted to Memorial Funeral Home, 3926 Willowood Avenue, Springdale, AR 72762. A gathering of friends and admirers of Karen is planned for the Mother’s Day annual CHOTKOWSKI PEONY GARDEN PARTY: Sunday, May 14, 2023 from 1-4 PM, 16142 Pin Oak Rd, Fayetteville, AR 72704. If you should wish to participate in this gathering event, please contact Harriet Neiman for details at 479-236-5628 or harrietneiman@gmail.com.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Karen Denise Chotkowski of Fayetteville Arkansas August 24 1954 January 6 2023.
Death notice for the town of: Springdale, state: Arkansas
Karen, Henry, and I wrote a cookbook together, “Fresh from the Past,” which was published in 2004. i remember thinking that Karen was a real artisan, in the way that I (a professor who lived in my head) never could have been. I admored her talents immensely. At first, the collaboration was rocky, since each of us had our own notions. But somehow, after immense effort, we got the job done. The book stnds as a monument to Karen’s organizational skill as well as her aesthetic. I met tons of intersting people while working on the project, and Karen charmed most of them. She could pretty much talk to anyone. I was armed with facts, but she had the humanity. But apart from the book, Karen was a fixture of the Fayettevile scene. She was into music, crafts, flowers, in a way that I could never match. How did she do it, and still have time to work for a hard-nosed patent attorney? I haven’t seen Karen since I left Fayetteville for New York City in 2005, returning to my roots (as she returned to her spiritual roots). But I can honestly say that now, even while I am surrounded by astonishing people, I have never met anyone so stunningly versatile — so multi-talented — as Karen. In her way, she was amazing.