Karen Marie Hackl-Hunt

Karen Marie Hackl-Hunt, age 68, of Indianapolis, passed away on May 28, 2026. She was born on December 16, 1957, in Chicago, Illinois.

Karen grew up with her brother in Bloomington, IL. From an early age, her parents, both educators, taught her to have a love for learning; she even taught her younger brother, Mark, how to read. Mark called her “Umdah” during early childhood, a name she lovingly adopted. She loved attending Central Catholic High School and had fond memories there. Her early years in Bloomington shaped her into a woman who valued family, hard work, and kindness.

She adored her parents very much and took care of her mother for years before her passing. Her father, Richard, was the superintendent and principal of the Graymont, IL School District, and her mother was a schoolteacher at Bloomington school district 87 and St. Mary’s School.

Karen worked for the Illinois state university system in the small college town of Macomb, IL. She started in the Western Illinois University Alumni office, but the majority of her time was spent in Human Resources where she made many loving and lasting friends.

Karen married Kelly Hunt of Colchester, IL. They were married for over 30 years until they divorced, but were lovingly reunited the last year before her death. She has one son, Kristopher, who is an Emergency Physician at Ascension St. Vincent Indianapolis. She loved him very much and always encouraged his education.

She adored her three granddaughters and became very close with them the last year of her life. She was overjoyed to welcome her oldest granddaughter, Amelia, into her life, and spoiled her often. One of her favorite things to do in the world was to take her middle grandchild, Nora, back and forth to preschool at St. Louis De Montfort in Fishers, IN. She enjoyed their precious conversations in the car and usually treated her with a cake pop from Starbucks. It was a blessing that in her final year she was able to meet her youngest granddaughter Penelope, born in 2025.

Karen will be remembered for her kindness, love, and sentimentality. She loved her German heritage and her family upbringing. Her favorite pastime was her love of dogs, specifically dachshunds. Karen recently became a member of Holy Spirit at Geist parish in Fishers, Indiana.\

Karen is survived by Her husband, Kelly Hunt; Her son and daughter-in-law, Kristopher Hunt and Rebecca Hunt; Her granddaughters, Amelia, Nora, and Penelope Hunt; Her brother and sister-in-law, Mark and Lynn Hackl, And her dog, Woofie

She is preceded in death by her mother and father, Richard and Norma Hackl.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, June 12, 2026, at 12PM at Holy Spirit Catholic Church – Geist Parish. Visitation will take place at the church prior to Mass, beginning at 11AM. Cremation arrangements are in the care of Flanner Buchanan—Geist.

Her greatest joy was her granddaughters, and she greatly valued education. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the educational fund established for her grandchildren, or to Holy Spirit Parish at Geist. A link to the educational fund can be found here: https://gofund.me/45acd0abe