Kara Mason

Kara S. Mason passed away February 13, 2014 at Evanston Hospital. She was born January 29, 1957 in Artesia, NM to Anita (King) and Charles Watts. She married her high school sweetheart, Jon, on July 12, 1980 at the First Congregational Church of Dundee, IL.

She received a Bachelor degree in Architecture from Iowa State University in 1980 and was a licensed architect in the State of Illinois.

Kara’s professional career started at Continental Illinois National Bank, Chicago as a Project Manager in the Properties Development Division. She went on to hold positions in design, facility management, space planning and marketing at Motorola, Inc., Intraspace Inc., Archiplan International and Mark Elmore Associates.

She took a break from the corporate world to raise her children Grant and Jessica. Kara was very involved in their schools, was a Cub Scout Den Mother and Girls softball coach. With athletic children, you could always find her in a gym or at a field rain or shine encouraging and supporting them. Kara was a caring and devoted mother. She raised her children to have a deep faith in God, an unwavering moral compass, to seek the truth and question with boldness, and to be independent individuals who strive to make a positive difference in the world around them.
After a rewarding career in architecture, she decided to pursue her other passion, teaching, applying her creativity and organizational skills to the education of children. She enrolled in North Park University’s Education Graduate Program, obtaining a Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education. She was a Classroom Assistant at Arnett Lines Elementary School in Barrington and a Paraprofessional in the Cross Categorical Program at Three Oaks Elementary School in Cary. Kara was a hardworking, dedicated and compassionate teacher who developed a strong rapport with her students – many would call her mom.

Kara’s hobbies included anything artistic. She loved to work with clay, paint, color pencil, ink, and photography.

Her parents preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband Jon and children Grant (Katrina) and Jessica; sister Stephanie (Jean) and niece Jennifer and nephew Jean; twin sister Sara (John) and nephews Nicholas and Michael.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 22 at the First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake; visitation at 10:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Mercury One, by check only (www.mercuryone.org for information), send to Mercury One, attention Natasha Crumbliss, 400 East Royal Lane, Ste 290, Dallas, TX 75039; or NorthShore University Health, 4901 Searle Parkway, Skokie, IL 60077, online (foundation.northshore.org/donate) or by check, please designate for the PCU/Hospice Integrative Medicine Program.

Saturday February 22, 2014, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. at First Congregational Church

Saturday February 22, 2014, 11:00 a.m. at First Congregational Church