Mrs. Karen Dean

Karen Duran Dean, 77, of Bullard, TX, passed away on July 31, 2018, to join her parents and other ancestors. The graveside funeral service will be held Friday, August 3, 2018, 11:00 a.m. at Buckner Cemetery, Pinehill, TX. Rev. David Luckert of the First United Methodist Church, Henderson, TX, will be officiating. Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 2, 2018 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Crawford - A. Crim Funeral Home in Henderson, TX. Karen was born in Henderson, TX, on August 11, 1940, to the late John and Bertie Mae Nelson Duran. Karen initially lived in Sabine and Leverett's Chapel where John Duran taught. When she was 10 years old, John Duran was promoted from high school principal to superintendent at Gaston ISD. She graduated as valedictorian from Gaston High School in 1958, earned a B.A. in music from North Texas State University in Denton, TX, in 1962, and a M.A. in education from Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, TX, in 1964. Karen married Michael Ray Dean on January 30, 1965; they were married for 53 years. Karen taught music in Longview public schools for 3 years and in Houston ISD. Then she taught private piano lessons at her home in the Houston area for over 13 years. After she and Ray moved to Garland, she began a career as a real estate agent. She sold homes in the Dallas area, mainly east suburbs, for at least 7 years, and then continued as a real estate agent in Buffalo, NY, area where they moved in 1987. In 1994, they returned to East Texas and settled in Emerald Bay, where Karen enjoyed playing golf, bridge, and mah jong with new friends. In the Tyler area, Karen continued as a real estate agent, but also taught many real estate classes. Karen judged piano students for National Guild of Piano Teachers in various states, such as Texas, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Karen was very good at keeping in touch with friends, family, past real estate clients, and past music students, even before email. Karen spent many hours working on her ancestry. On her piano judging trips, she would go to courthouses to copy birth records, marriage licenses, property inventories from estate filings, death certificates, property maps, etc. She loved finding and contacting relatives, and sharing the knowledge she had documented about various branches of her family tree. Since Karen loved to travel, she and Ray made many trips, including back to Buffalo in the summers. The last foreign countries visited included Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. It was interesting for her to compare to the time in the 60's when she visited the closed and guarded borders of the last 3 countries which were communist in the 60's. Survivors include her husband Ray Dean, brother Dr. John L. Duran and wife Kay Nan, of Henderson, TX, sister Ruth Rusk and husband David of The Woodlands, TX, nephew Dr. Adam Duran and wife Mandy, and their sons, Karen's great-nephews, Carter Duran and Peyton Duran of Carthage, TX. If desired, in lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to The Buckner Cemetery, c/o Mrs. Gena Gardiner, 1203 Westwood, Henderson, TX 75654. Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.crawfordacrim.com.

Mrs. Karen Dean

August 11, 1940 - July 31, 2018