Cherokee County School buses left campuses all across the county on Friday afternoon displaying white ribbons on the front of each vehicle in memory of one of the colleagues, Karen Willmon who was tragically killed earlier in the week.

During this weeks meeting of the Cherokee County Board of Education, Superintendent of Education Mitchell Guice expressed his sincere condolences on behalf of the Board of Education and extended thoughts and prayers to the family, friends and co-workers of Karen.

Karen was also a former employee of the Cherokee County Parks and Recreation Board as an attendant at Cherokee Rock Village Park, the Parks and Rec Board issued a statement on their Facebook page saying “The Cherokee County Parks and Recreation Board extends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Karen Wilmon. Karen was a former employee at Cherokee Rock Village and was a diligent and dedicated worker. Karen’s unmatched work ethic was a tremendous contribution to the continued success of the park. We are all grieved by the tragic loss of this admirable lady”.

Bus 07-05, (pictured above) which is the bus Karen drove, will be driven in the funeral procession tomorrow.

Funeral services for  Karen Willmon will be at 11 A.M. Saturday at Perry Funeral Home Chapel; burial will be 2:30 EST at Lafayette Memorial Gardens in Lafayette, GA.

The family will receive friends from 10 A.M to 11 A.M. Saturday.

Survivors include son David (Renee) Griffin of Lafayette, GA.; sisters Carlie Tootsie Vinson Ham of Sylvester, GA., Kitty Andrea Randall Coston of Bradenton, FL., two grandchildren Nicholas Griffin and Olivia Griffin; several nieces and nephews.

Ms. Willmon was a native of Tifton, GA., the daughter of the late Howard and Chappie Vinson Randall. She was a member of the American Quarter Horse Association and she was of the Methodist Faith.

The family will accept flowers or donations can be made to the Fairview Methodist Church Building Fund.