Karen Tabor of Lowell, Arkansas, passed away peacefully on July 26, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family. Born in Springdale, Arkansas, Karen was a graduate of Springdale High School, Class of 1976. Over the years, she worked as a dental assistant and later as a tool repair machinist, reflecting the remarkable versatility, determination, and ingenuity that defined her throughout her life. Karen was someone who could fix just about anything with her own two hands. She had a natural gift for creating and making things work, and she carried that same creativity into her many passions. She loved fishing and spending time outdoors, had a true green thumb as a gardener, and taught herself to oil paint. She found joy in learning, making, growing, and simply being outside. But Karen’s greatest gift was the way she cared for people. She was deeply kind and thoughtful, always willing to listen to what mattered to others and making sure everyone around her felt seen, welcomed, and included. She possessed a quiet strength that carried her through some of life’s hardest experiences, yet she never allowed those hardships to take away her gentleness or her capacity for kindness. 

Karen was the widow of Charles Pickett, who preceded her in death in 1998. She is survived by her loving daughters, Jennifer (Pickett) Poole of Lowell, Arkansas, and her husband, Clark Poole, Andrea (Pickett) Huddleston of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and her husband, Bryan Huddleston; her cherished granddaughter, Charlee Huddleston; and her brother, Gary Tabor of Springdale, Arkansas, and his wife, Lisa Tabor. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Dorothy Tabor, and her sister, Diane Kelley.

Karen leaves behind a legacy of love, resilience, creativity, and kindness. She will be remembered not only for the things she could make and fix with her hands, but for the many ways she made the people around her feel cared for, valued, and at home. 

Memorial gifts may be made to Hope Cancer Resources or Circle of Life Hospice in memory of Karen Tabor, to support patient care and family services.