Karen D. Lyerla, 72, of Lawrence, Kansas, passed away on September 17,2020. She was born on August 2, 1948, to Dale and Alberta Lyerla. Karen graduated from Shawnee Mission West in 1966, and received a BS (1970) and a MS (1972) degree from the University of Kansas.
She retired from Lawrence High School after 35 years of working with Special Needs students and young adults. She was instrumental in helping regular educators support and accommodate special education students in their classes. Karen’s specialty was teaching students writing skills.
Karen’s many loves included participation in sports, tennis, travel, watching professional ice skating, working on SMW Class of ’66 high school reunions, genealogy, teaching, and her family and many friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents and brother, Reg Lyerla, and is survived by niece Kristy Acree (Tom), nephew, Brant Lyerla, niece Logan Dean (Spencer) great nieces and nephews.
In Karen’s honor contributions can be made to the Karen Dale Lyerla Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o Lawrence School Foundation. www.lawrenceschoolsfoundation.org
Friends and family are invited to meet Thursday, October 15, from 5-7 p.m. at Rumsey-Yost funeral home. A private memorial service will be held Friday, October 16, at 1:00 p.m. with live broadcasting at, https://www.facebook.com/RumseyYostFuneralHomeandCrematory for friends and family who cannot attend. (Covid 19 restrictions will be in effect.)
Online condolences may be sent at rumsey-yost.com.
I had the great pleasure of playing ukulele with Karen for the past two years. Her joy and love of life was positively infectious!
I truly enjoyed watching her relate with the youth in our group to the very elderly folks. She had an interesting story and a kind word for everyone. She made everyone feel like they belonged.
She will be missed by everyone who know her.
I will miss this lovely women & our conversations on the phone. Always inquiring about what’s going on in my life. She was the most personable woman & and a good athlete. I admired her & I will miss her especially our conversations & organizing the high school reunions ❤️
It is hard and sad to believe that the energetic, vital force of nature that was Karen is now gone. Karen was SUCH a fabulous educator and leader. I collaborated with her on several committees and she was always cheerful…always ready to ‘take on the hard stuff’ and get things done. We shared a love of music and dancing and I always knew there would be laughter and good times when I was with Karen. This was a life well lived…but way too short. I will think of her often and she will be sorely missed. Dance away in heaven, sweet, dear Karen!!
I grew up thinking Karen could have been one of those dancers for Soul Train. As a younger cousin I loved seeing her at family reunions because she always looked so cool with her big earrings and hippy gear. She could unabashedly sing and dance for everyone. She was fearless. I’ve lived on the east coast for decades now but I have fond memories of meeting her for breakfast at Milton’s after she shamed my husband on the tennis court. She was a smart, bright light and will be missed by all of us in the Lyerla family. Much love and laughter must be happening in that better place today.
The world lost a sparkling, spunky soul with Karen’s passing. Don’t even know where to start sharing my thoughts and feelings. There’s just too much to say here, and her friends don’t need to be reminded that she was special in so many ways. Karen was a good friend with a heart of gold. She had no fear. I loved her free spirit—- She was eternally youthful in her attitude toward life, and would try new things all the time, like ukulele classes and concerts, even when she was the oldest student in class. In short, Karen was an extraordinary person, and I am so very grateful to have been her friend. Karen, I miss you.
We were traveling to Kansas and I was hoping to visit cousin Karen when we arrived. Not long after arriving she had the accident and I didn’t get to see her. Karen worked on genealogy quite a bit with my Mom, Donna Lyerla, and played my Mom’s ukulele for fun. Karen enjoyed life and entertaining others with her wit and humor as she had opportunity. We miss her.
Karen was a person who would put everything down to help others when needed. She always shared, made sure everyone was taken care of. If someone was hurting, she was by their side. She was one of my closest and dearest friends, a colleague I worked elbow to elbow with for 14 years at LHS. She was also a tennis partner for my husband for many years. Part of why returned to Lawrence was to be closer to Karen. We miss her greatly.
Best teacher ever….I am going to miss you. And a great teacher to my children! May you rest in peace Karen..Love ya lady! Sending prayers to the family.
Wow, I’m overwhelmed with sadness for the loss of such a wonderful friend. Karen was one of the first to call and check that we were o.k. after the tornado that hit our South Lawrence neighborhood (well before our insurance agent called, and honestly I was impressed with their promptness). She was a valued co-worker at LHS the many years we were together and was so invested in the success of her students, you just had to be in awe of her commitment. There are many valued outings with Karen and Deb. Such a lovely lady. Carol, you said it best, we will miss you Queen Karen.
We were sad to hear of the passing of Karen. We were colleagues at Lawrence High School. She was compassionate about teaching students with special needs. She helped many students be successful though her encouragement by helping them manage their class assignments. Her smile and delightful personality will be truly missed by all that knew her. May God wrap his loving arms around her family as they grieve the loss of her on this earth.
So sad to know about Karen passing.
She was a great influence on our sons life. We loved her so much and so grateful for her. She was a remarkable person. Gone too soon!😢
I played tennis with Karen over the last decade or so. She always was fun to play with and against. But that ability to quickly put the racket in her non-dominant hand and hit a winner was so amazing. She always laughed a lot when she did it. I will miss her.
Karen was our neighbor for 25 years. She watched our children grow up and in later years always asked about them. She was a bright spot in our lives. The last time I saw her my wife and I were eating in a restaurant and I heard her ‘Lyerla laugh’ and sure enough it was Karen eating with her friends. She always greeted us with the warmest smile. In the last phone call I received from Karen, she related to me a concern that she had about one of our neighbors. That was Karen, always concerned with the welfare of others; never a complaint about her own welfare. A great neighbor, good friend and trusted confidant.
Karen was always a joy to visit with along with the rest of the family. Her dad sold me my first sports equipment — still remember that day and the fact that Karen was in the store at the time. As a teacher she taught others — what better gift to the world than sharing yourself and talents. We will miss her, her smile, her enthusiasm.
It’s with a heavy heart that I write a few words. Karen was an amazing person who always made you feel special even when you hadn’t seen her in years. I will miss the constant updates that she provided to keep all of the “Vikings” linked up. She will be deeply missed.
Karen was a bright light in this world and always a friend to everyone! I am so sad to learn of her passing and hope her SMW ’66 legacy will continue on through her classmates. I loved her and will miss her deeply. May her soul rest in peace.
I have known Karen since grade school…always fun… she amazed me with how she knew about everyone in our SMW66 class & took time to make everyone feel special…you are much loved & missed
I never had the privilege to personally meet Karen except through my sister Lanell Finneran. Lanell always spoke highly of her friendship and mutual love of teaching. Karen will be greatly missed not only by her many friends but the many students she loved.
Karen was a wonderful guide for our son Benjamin through Lawrence High. She was so much more than a teacher, she became a friend. We will remember you always. Blessings to the family.
I have so many memories of Karen and for that I am very thankful. We spent our high school years together on Drill Team and after high school, we remained good friends while working on the reunions every 5 years and the occasional lunches we would have with former classmates. I will miss so many things about Karen but I am glad to have the years of memories with her. Love to you always!
Karen was a great lady. She was instrumental in getting many of us together for lunches. We will always be grateful for her efforts. She will be missed. God will take good care of her.
My first KU Basketball game was with Karen, Dale & Reg it was so much FUN and memorable! Also games at Seigner Field, and lots of horseback riding in the neighborhood. Wonderful memories Karen 🙏
I’ve had the pleasure of Karen’s friendship ever since I met her in junior high. Since high school, in addition to her very full personal and professional life, she and Paula worked tirelessly to keep all of us SMW66ers in contact through the years. Karen was a truly special person who is sorely missed and will always be fondly remembered.
Karen was much of the heart and soul of our SMW class of ’66 alumni group, and a friend and inspiration for so many. Hard to lose one of best and brightest lights at this age. May she rest in peace and her memory not forgotten. God bless, Karen.
Karen played a Hugh role in my daughters life ‼️Taught, encouraged, & cheered. Her successes‼️Thank you for your gifts❤️You will be missed💥
How lucky we were to have Karen and best bud Paula round us up every 5 years for a get-together. Many of us have become better friends over the years than we were at SM West, thanks to Karen and Paula. Karen sought me out in Wichita when she visited a friend here and we had lunch several times. She was an expert in keeping us close and I am so thankful. Karen, you will be missed!
Karen was so filled with life and curiosity. I’m so sorry she’s gone, but feel so lucky to have known her.
I will miss Karen very much & had many good times with her especially helping her with planning the reunions and visiting her in Lawrence.
Karen was an awesome resource to those of us who attended Shawnee Mission West. She was a take charge person who kept so many of us in touch throughout the years. Her hard work gave us a great foundation to keep in touch with each other. She will be missed by so many of us and we will remember our friend with great fondness.
Karen’s perpetual smile ands kindness will never be forgotten by those of us who got to know her as a classmate at SMWest. Her light and enthusiasm for all things “Viking” with best friend Paula’s help bound us for eternity. Heaven is lucky to have you, “Queen Karen.”
Karen was one of the great treasures of my early years, and over the years she became even more important to not only me but so many others as she gallantly worked to keep us all together. She has a special place in our hearts and will be greatly missed.