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Kara Hillman-Welch

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Kara Lynn Hillman-Welch, 43, passed away on Oct. 5, 2023. She was born in Carbondale, Illinois, to Carl and Rebecca (Becky) Hillman. She was the third of four children and the first girl (Brent, Kyle, Kara and Jennifer [Genny]). 

As a soccer goalie, she started on her high school team all four years. She was a starter on the district team, which included four states. She was the designated second-string goalie on the national team, but time and travel costs prohibited any involvement.

After high school, she served an 18-month mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Sandy, Utah. Kara graduated from Flagstaff University with a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology. She worked in Casa Grande and Maricopa schools until her son, Michael, started school in Globe. Being so far away from him was too hard. Family meant everything to Kara. She needed both her children close. She and her husband, Karl, made the decision to move to Globe. 

Kara, Karl and 3-year-old Kaitlynn packed their bags and moved. It wasn’t long before Kara obtained a job in the Globe School District. Now she could be a part of both of her children’s lives. Her family was together at last. 

As she continues the next step in her progression with her eternal partner Karl, Kara will truly be missed by all those privileged to have known her. 

Kara is survived by her four children Michael Webb, 12, Kaitlynn Hillman-Webb, 10, Charles Gregory Welch, 4, and Madison Grace Welch, 2; her mother Rebecca (Johnson) Hillman; her father Carl Gregory Hillman; her sister Jennifer Marie Stockton; her brothers Brent Patrick Hillman and Kyle David Hillman; her sisters-in-law Shannon Bly Hillman, Kai Goodbar and Alta Welch; her brother-in-law John Stockton; and her father-in-law Chuck Welch. 

Assisting the family: Lamont Mortuary of Globe.