Karen West, 63 years of age, of Belleville passed away on Tuesday, January 24, 2023. She was born March 9, 1959 and raised "up the holler" in Pike County, Kentucky as the fourth child to Ernest and Gracie Thornsbury (Adkins) and the family moved to Michigan when she was a young child. Karen was the youngest daughter with six other siblings: Ada, Leilia, Ernie, Craig, Steve, and Todd. On June 9, 1979 she married Richard West and they lived in Ann Arbor for a number of years before moving to Belleville where they raised their two sons Nicholas and Tyler. She was a woman of faith and a former member of the Rose of Sharon Old Regular Baptist Church.

Karen loved reading, shopping, spending time with family and friends and hootin' and hollerin' for her favorite sports teams the Detroit Lions, Tigers and the Michigan Wolverines. She was a woman of grace, wisdom and kindness, deeply loved by her family, and will always be remembered lovingly by those that knew her.

Most of all, Karen was a loved and cherished daughter, sister, wife, mother, mamaw, and aunt. Karen was preceded in death by her parents Ernest and Gracie Thornsbury, three uncles; Beryl Damron, John A. Damron, Robert Damron, four Aunts; Nona Akers, Marie Hall, Betty Joyce Damron, and Erma Maygar. Karen is survived by her husband; Richard West, two sons; Nicholas (Jessica) West of Westland, MI, Tyler West of Northville, MI, four brothers, Ernie (Laura) Thornsbury, Craig (Deidre) Thornsbury, Steve (Kelly) Thornsbury, and Todd (Jennifer) Thornsberry, and two sisters Ada (Rick) Tishma, and Leilia (Ronnie) Smith. Mamaw, as she is affectionately known, has four granddaughters, Kiersten, Noelle, Adelaide, and Teigen and one grandson, Matthew. She is also Aunt Karen to twelve nieces and nephews as well as numerous cherished great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Sunday, January 29, 2023 at Stark Funeral Professionals in Ypsilanti, MI. Visitation will be 3-6 pm with a service immediately following at 6 pm. Burial will follow on Monday, January 30 at 12 noon at Washtenong Memorial Park Cemetery in Ann Arbor, MI.