Karen Gemell

Karen Gemell (nee Moroni), 74, of Crystal Lake, died Sunday, January 29, 2012 at Fair Oaks Health Care Center in Crystal Lake after a courageous, three-year battle with melanoma cancer.

She was born October 3, 1937, in Iron Mountain, located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, to the late Elinor (nee Johnson) and Charles Moroni.

Her father was a railroad engineer. Both her grandfathers, immigrants from Italy and Sweden respectively, were iron ore miners.

After graduation from Iron Mountain High School, she was accepted as a student at the school of Radiologic Technology at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago where she graduated in 1957 and remained on staff.

At Michael Reese she met her future husband, an immigrant physician and native of Lithuania. They were married in 1964 and shortly thereafter moved to McHenry where he was offered the position of chief radiologist at the then recently established McHenry Hospital, the precursor of today's McHenry Centegra Hospital. Karen was a member of the hospital's auxiliary and an active organizer of the very popular auxiliary-sponsored annual County Art Fair, which attracted many art lovers from across the county and beyond.

In 1970, she moved with her family to Crystal Lake, where they built a new residence and where she lived until her death. She had a large circle of friends and remained active in the community and with her family.

Survivors include her husband of 48 years, Dr. Nicholas Gemell; daughters, Julie (David) Gemell Seitz of Dallas, TX and Kathryn Gemell of Wheaton; grandchildren, Natalie and Nicholas Seitz; an uncle; and several cousins.

The visitation will be Friday, February 3 from 4 p.m. until the time of service at 7 p.m. at the Davenport Family Funeral Home, 419 E. Terra Cotta Ave. (Route 176), Crystal Lake. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Karen's name may be made to the American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org, 1-800-227-2345.

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