My wife makes the best pecan pie. No Karo syup. Maple syrup instead. Much tastier and none of that gloppy Karo consistency.
It may taste ok, but it can’t be a true pecan pie because pecan pie is a southern dessert. So your wife tainted a traditional southern dessert with yankee syrup.
I make a really great German Chocolate Pecan Pie. But the recipie is not secret - it came on a wrapper of Baker’s Germam Chocolate!