Karen Ann Collison

Karen Ann Collison, 78, of Phoenix, Arizona, passed away quietly at home on February 4, 2026. Born March 6, 1947, in Michigan City, Indiana, she was the eldest daughter of Kenneth Cletus Smiskey and Adeline J. (Gabrunas) Smiskey. Karen grew up in Michigan City, where family gatherings at 201 Golfview Drive and 207 North Porter Street filled her childhood with the warmth of her parents, siblings Terrence and Lori Lynn, and grandmother Zella. She carried those memories forward with grace and humor throughout her life. On February 12, 1966, she married Thomas Raymond Collison Jr. in Indianapolis, beginning a shared journey that took them from Indiana to Memphis, Tennessee, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and finally to Arizona. They first settled in Scottsdale upon arriving in the state, then moved to a home in Phoenix in 1983, where Karen lived until her passing. From the time she met Thomas, Karen was lovingly welcomed into the large and close-knit Collison family. She remained deeply bonded with them throughout their marriage and until her own passing, cherished as a beloved wife, sister-in-law, aunt, and friend to many. Karen was a devoted wife and mother whose quiet strength, sharp wit, and deep capacity for love touched everyone around her. She found joy in simple things—gardening (a passion inherited from her mother Adeline), family stories, and the steady rhythm of daily life. For many years she worked at the customer service desk at Fry’s Grocery Store locations in Phoenix and Scottsdale, where she was well-remembered and deeply appreciated by her fellow employees and longtime customers for her kindness and steady presence. Her recollections of her grandparents, aunts, uncles, close friends, and the Michigan City of her youth were vivid and treasured, and she shared them generously with those who would listen. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Thomas Raymond Collison Jr. (d. 2021), her parents Kenneth and Adeline Smiskey, and her siblings Terrence Smiskey and Lori Lynn Smiskey. Karen is survived by her son Kary Collison of Phoenix, Arizona; her lifelong friend since early childhood, Sherry Buckingham, and husband Gary of La Porte, Indiana (connected until the very end); her niece Colleen Keith; her nephew Kevin Smiskey; and a wide circle of cousins, extended family, and friends who were fortunate to know her. Arrangements are entrusted to Bunker Family Funerals & Cremation, Mesa, Arizona.