Karen Haun

Karen Haun, 68, of South Bend passed away on Friday, July 24, 2026.

Karen was born on October 22, 1957, in Detroit, Michigan to Paul and Billie Sue (Sewell) Haun while Paul was briefly stationed in Detroit for work. The family returned home and Karen was raised in Candler, North Carolina. Karen remembered her childhood growing up in the mountains fondly, she would return “home” any chance she could. After graduating from Asheville Buncombe Technical Institute in 1978 Karen moved to Benton Harbor, Michigan to work as a computer programmer. She continued her studies and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Western Michigan University in 1992.  Karen built a successful career that took her across the country and briefly to Germany before retiring in 2013 to follow her entrepreneurial spirit. She co-founded Bendix Coffee, a coffee roasting business, and grew it into a successful local community coffee supplier before selling the business in 2022. Karen was a respected entrepreneur and was asked to address the Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business in 2018 to share her knowledge on ethics in business.

Karen found a true partner in her husband, David Heckaman, when set up by friends in 2000. Karen and Dave married on January 3, 2002. They loved to travel together and made special memories all over the world.

Karen enjoyed spending time outdoors, especially cycling, golfing and walking her dogs. She had a green thumb for growing beautiful flowers in her courtyard. She knew the name of almost any flower she was presented with.

Karen is survived by her husband, David Heckaman; her twin daughters, Rachel Prillwitz & Aaron Tirotta (Demi), Sarah & Daniel Szucs (Owen & Carter); her sister, Debbie & Rick Fisher (Elizabeth (Jay) Smallwood & Lindsay (Chad) Gantt; and her stepchildren, Vanessa & Jeremy Nicely (Enoch & Astrid), Sean & Theresa Heckaman (Theodore, Joshua, Patrick,  Joseph, Miriam, Evalena, William, Rosary, George, Amelia, Lucia), Alycia & Attila Valentiny (Attila James, Clara, Molly) and William & Cheyenne Heckaman. She was preceded in death by her parents and nephew, Andy Fisher.

Karen displayed a special kind of empathy and was an avid volunteer in her community. She was involved with many charities, most notably the South Bend Bike Garage, where she was referred to as a “Super Volunteer.” She was a loving wife, a proud and present grandmother, and looked beyond herself to always care for others. She was a gift to her community; her presence will be missed.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on August 7, 2026, 4:00pm-7:00pm, at Fernwood Botanical Gardens, located at 13988 Range Line Road, Niles, MI 49120.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to RiverBend Cancer Services.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Karen Haun, please visit our floral store.