Karin Elaine Buda passed away peacefully at her home on November 18th, 2022 after a battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) and FTD (Dementia). Her strength over the past two years has been beyond inspiring, despite the challenges she faced with a terminal diagnosis.

She was born July 13th, 1962 in South Bend, IN to Richard and Delores (Lane) Simmons, who both preceded her in death.

She graduated from Nashville School of Broadcast Technique in 1981, going on to become a local DJ at WAOR for many years, and then was part of the morning Kool Kru at WRBR.

After the completion of her business degree, Karin worked in advertising sales with the South Bend Tribune.

She would ultimately become an accomplished real estate broker and owner. Karin opened her own business, Cornerstone Real Estate Services, with offices in both Indiana and Michigan. One of Karin’s proudest achievements was to be elected by her peers in the Southwest Michigan Association of Realtors® (SWMAR) as the 2021 President of the Association. Karin was also a member of both the Elkhart County Board of Realtors® and the South Bend Area Realtors®.

Over the years, she wholeheartedly gave her time to policy and fund-raising committees, as well as volunteer work to give back to the communities she served as a Realtor®.

Karin was a key member in the group that organized the Holiday Auction for SWMAR that has raised tens of thousands of dollars to give back to the community. Notably during her tenure as President, over $12,000 was donated to the Susan Mast ALS Foundation, which helps families throughout West Michigan with services, equipment, and support.

Karin was a devoted wife and mother. She found joy in golfing, pontoon boat and golf cart rides, tropical traveling with her besties, shopping, Shipshewana and other art fairs with her sister and daughter, attending music concerts (especially Jimmy Buffett and Dave Matthews), not spilling $22 Mang-O-Ritas at those concerts, an occasional Hurricane at Hacienda, and loving her neurotic rescue dog, a Maltese-Poodle, named Coconut.

She was passionate about cheering on her favorite teams: the Bears, the Cubs, and Notre Dame Football.

Karin especially cherished her dart league family and the close-knit friendships she developed there.

She is survived by her husband Larry Twyman, her daughter Bethany (Zach) Stibbe, step-daughters Meredith, Clara, and Maggie Twyman, step-son Patrick Twyman, and step-grandson Logan Twyman.

Also surviving are siblings Denice (Leonard) Hinkson, Kent (Lisa) Simmons, two nieces, three nephews, and several great-nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for Karin will be held at Brown Funeral Home at 521 E Main Street in Niles, Michigan on Wednesday, November 30th from 4-7 PM. She will then be laid to rest in a private burial service in the spring of 2023, her favorite season.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name may be made to the Susan Mast ALS Foundation, which was instrumental in supporting her directly. Donation link https://www.susanmastals.org/donation/.

Memories of Karin may be left for her family at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.

12/03/2022 JFC