Kara Nicole Hencke, 30, of Columbia, died Jan. 31, 2021, in Columbia. She was born Oct. 11, 1990, in St. Louis. She was the daughter of Carl and Teresa (nee Chapman) Hencke, who survive her. 

Kara was a force of nature, drawn to the wild and beautiful places of the world. She was blessed to have lived in so many beautiful places throughout her life, including the desert of Arizona, the shorelines of Southern California, and the mountains of Colorado. She will live on in our memories as a mother that loved her son, Graham, wholly and unconditionally, always ready to take him on the next adventure. As we look back on her life, we remember her love of the arts, her desire to dip her toes into every imaginable body of water, and her ability to break the silence with an unbelievable story, that always turned out to be true… but mostly, we want her to know that she is loved.

Also surviving are her son Graham C. Goforth; boyfriend Stephen W. Goforth; sisters Kristen P. Hencke and Patrice A. Hencke; maternal grandmother, Barbara A. Gaetano; paternal grandmother, Patricia A. Hencke; step-mother Maribel Hencke; aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

She was preceded in death by her paternal grandfather David G. Hencke.

A celebration of Kara’s life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed to National Alliance For Mental Illness, 2100 Madison Ave., Granite City.

Lawlor Funeral Home, Columbia, handled arrangements.