Kim Thorn

Kim Marie Thorn (Kloth), 54, of Antioch, Illinois, passed away on March 27, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on July 18, 1971, in Watertown, Wisconsin, to Marilyn and Donald Kloth. She was a graduate of Zion Benton High School in 1989, followed by a bachelor’s degree from Carthage College in 1993. Her career focused on helping special needs kids learn valuable life skills. Kim loved coaching Special Olympics and was extremely passionate about helping her students become the best versions of themselves.

Kim is survived by her husband, Darryl Thorn; sons Tyler (Santiago) and Ryan Thorn; parents Donald and Marilyn Kloth (Roth); sister Jody (Steve) Pelli; as well as multiple uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, and her beloved chocolate labs, Murphy and Buoy.

She is preceded in death by grandparents Bruno and Marion Kloth and Phillip and Joan Roth, as well as her Labradors, Dooley, Riley, and Moose.

Kim’s love extended to so many, and just as many loved her back. She married Darryl on September 3, 1994. They had two sons: Tyler in 1996 and Ryan in 1998. Her life fully revolved around her family, ensuring their wants and needs always came before her own.

Kim is remembered for her warmth, thoughtfulness, and lightheartedness. She had an innocent and playful spirit. She loved crafting forts, teepees, and “kid carwashes” from the Family Fun magazine for Tyler and Ryan and her young nieces and nephews. Holidays were synonymous with scavenger hunts and goodie bags. Birthdays promised personalized gifts, wrapped to perfection. Family game nights transformed into uncontrollable laughter—unless Scrabble was involved; Kim demolished everyone in Scrabble.

Kim was a very creative person. Her hobbies included scrapbooking, watercolor painting, knitting, and crafting keepsakes. She took pottery and painting classes and was always thinking about her next creative endeavor to master. She refurbished most of her home’s furniture, giving it her personal touch. She thoroughly enjoyed researching her family and has an extensive collection of her ancestors’ history. She visited their birth places, childhood homes, and final resting places, which also included a recent trip to Ireland. It was also not uncommon to spend several hours traversing a hidden cemetery searching for lost loved ones in the middle of a wonderful family vacation.

Kim loved to travel. Her winters were spent planning the perfect family getaway for the upcoming summer, which always included thoughtful activities and awe-inspiring sights. Kim was very fond of national parks and loved exploring the country; she visited 35 of the 63 U.S. National Parks, plus an additional 5 Canadian National Parks. She was always mesmerized by the beauty of untouched land and the power of raw nature. Flowers were Kim’s calling to peace. Her love of flowers was only surpassed by the love of her family. Her backyard flower garden was filled with zinnias, strawflowers, dahlias, cosmos, and snapdragons. Sunflowers, lilacs, hydrangeas, daffodils, and rose bushes surrounded her home with love. The act of gardening calmed her, arranging flowers gave her purpose, and their delicacy reminded her of the beauty in her life.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 9, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with a wake service to begin at 6:30 p.m. at Congdon Funeral Home, 3012 Sheridan Rd, Zion, IL 60099. A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 10, 2026, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 15000 W. Wadsworth Road, Wadsworth, IL 60083.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Cancer Wellness Center, 215 Revere Drive, Northbrook, IL 60062, in honor of Kim.