Karen Lois Beyer

09 November 1944 – 20 August 2021

Karen was the product of a whirlwind war time romance during WW II. Her Mother, Lois Fletcher Dumas, was a Georgia farm girl with 6 children (5 boys and 1 girl) from her first marriage and her Father, Stephen Gikas, was a 100% Greek US Army solder training in Florida. Stephen’s parents had immigrated to the USA from the “Old Country, while he was still a baby.  Soon after the marriage Stephen left for Europe and heavy combat. Karen was born 09 November 1944 weighing over 9 lbs., with a full head of dark brown hair and the dark complexion of her father. Her eldest brother Louis was 19, serving in the Navy home on leave, and was at the hospital. When the nurse told Lois her husband was waiting outside, she looked and saw who it was telling the nurse, “That’s not my husband, he is in Europe; that is my eldest Son. That always got a laugh in her family.

The Marriage of Lois and Stephen was born in wartime but could not survive the peace. They divorced in 1947, Stephen went back to New England and never saw his daughter again. Karen grew up with her elder 5 siblings in the house, she was the baby by many years and spoiled rotten. Her Mother married a man named Johnny Raider, and he would be the father figure in Karen’s life. As the older siblings left their mother’s home the 3 closest siblings, her sister Ima, brothers, Charles and Herman would be dominant in her childhood. She grew up poor, but rich in love, discipline, and was raised steeped in the Lord. She would carry this Faith her entire life; their family was constantly on the move living in rental duplexes and homes. By the time Karen was 16 she wanted out and married her boyfriend. This marriage would produce 2 children, Jayne and then Richard but ended 10 years later. Richard was a sick child with sugar diabetes and epilepsy, his health needs dominated Karen’s life. She met Edward L Beyer, Jr in 1977, and their wild courtship began, 2 years later on 18 January 1979  they were married at Plymouth Congressional Church in Coral Gables. Her son Richard walked her down the Aisle and Jayne served as her Maiden of Honor. In August, Laura Lynn Beyer was born, 3 ½ months premature at 1lb 6 Oz’s. Ed was in the Police Academy for the Hialeah Police Department and Laura spent 4 months in a hospital preemie ward in Tampa before coming home, their love bundle, in December. This was a marriage of Love and Laura Lynn grew up close to her brother as her sister married young like her grandmother and mother. Jayne moved to California with her new husband.

They were a Law Enforcement Family; this career path carried a 80% divorce rate, but Ed and Karen were fiercely devoted to each other and to Laura Lynn and they beat the odds staying married through a high intensity and dangerous career, especially in the crime ridden 80s of Dade County Fla. Karen and Laura endured the stresses of having a husband/father working nights for many years, missing holidays, dinners and never knowing if when he left for work if he would return. It weighed heavily on them all; But they were a loving family and Karen, if nothing else, was a “Homemaker and Mother” without equal. Her house was organized and spotless, her home cooked meals delicious, and her love for her husband and children was fierce. She lost her son, Richard in 1994 and it crushed her, they were extremely close.

As Ed moved up the ranks Karen enjoyed riding the streets of Hialeah with him as an observer. She knew all his secretaries and close co-workers, she was his sounding board for issues he had to deal with, they were husband and wife but more importantly they were best friends and inseparable. She shared Ed’s love of fishing and the outdoors and accompanied him on their boat and into the woods. They loved to travel and saw much of the country, Karen loved old cemeteries and they would walk them reading the headstones with passion. Karen took the moniker of Mrs. Captain and then Mrs. Deputy Chief in keeping with Ed’s rank. She instituted a gathering each New Year’s Eve of any and all Officers working on the road, bringing, NA Champagne, pizza, soda’s and other snacks. Ed would assemble the troops in an underground parking lot for safety from flying bullets around midnight and the on duty shifts would have a 15/20 minute New Year’s Party until calls and demand for service required them to leave. Karen mingled and talked to everyone making her presence known to all who worked under her husband and was loved for it.

The good Lord did not bless her with more sons, but blessed them both with nephews and great nephews; It started with Chris and Trey (Sidney), coming over to fish and dive, and hunt with their Uncle Eddie. Karen loved having young men over and doted on them; talking, laughing, cooking, she was the best loving Aunt. When the boys grew up they mentored their now great Nephews, Tyler, Dakota and Lucas. She loved them all. 

After Ed’s retirement from HPD in 2003 the couple moved just outside of Brooksville, Fla on acreage in the “Woods” in a beautiful brand new home which Karen made into a model for Better Home’s and Garden. Laura left home to begin her new life, as Ed and Karen traveled, fished, hunted, and began to make several trips a year to Biloxi. Karen’s passion was the casino and she was one Lucky Girl. Ed usually came home broke and had to borrow money from her…..They enjoyed each other’s company and were inseparable. Ed use to say, we are just like “peanut butter and jelly”, we go together hand in hand. As their journey through life continued, their love continued to grow and their status as “Best Friends” never wavered. Karen became a “Country Girl” and loved the deer, squirrels, birds, rabbits, bobcats, wild turkeys, even Otters one time that they saw every day on their property.

In 2008 Karen made the personal decision to convert to Catholicism. She had been attending Catholic Church with Ed their whole marriage, but now at this time in her life she felt she needed to do this. She attended CCD Classes for 9 months and in April 2009 she and Ed were remarried in the Catholic Church and she received all her sacraments; Baptism, Communion, and Confirmation.

In early August 2021 Karen became ill and Ed took care of her until she had to go into the hospital, after 4 days she came home but was very weak. Ed continued to care for her and their love was never stronger, their last night while she was coherent they sat in bed watching Tom and Jerry cartoons on the cartoon channel laughing and joking with love in their hearts. The next morning fire rescue had to rush her back to the hospital. Everyone thought she would recover, but after 4 days Ed received a call in the middle of the night telling him to come quick as Karen was fading. Ed spent the last 4 hours of her life by her side; playing their song, “Still the One, by the band Orleans, playing his favorite videos of her, having her two daughters on the phone so she could hear their voices, Ed rubbed her head and hair, held her hand, and talked to her the whole time. At 0535  on 20 August 2021 she slipped the bonds of this earth after being called home by the Lord.

She was a Beautiful and Amazing Woman and will be missed by all. She loved her children, her husband, her friends, and she loved and lived life to the fullest. She would talk to anyone and was loved by all who knew her. She is survived by her husband of over 42 years, Edward L. Beyer Jr, her daughters Jayne Walton and Laura Lynn Beyer and one grandson Danny Ray Muir.

Rest in Peace Karen, continue to look after and protect your family and loved ones.

"Until we meet again....."

ARRANGEMENTS BY

MERRITT FUNERAL HOME

BROOKSVILLE, FLORIDA

(352) 796-6699

"Family Owned & Operated"

www.merrittfuneral.com