Karen Weitzul is an American woman best known as the first wife of former California attorney Thomas Girardi. Born around 1941 in Wisconsin, she later moved to Southern California with her family and studied at Loyola Marymount University.
She married Thomas Girardi in August 1964 and was part of his life during the early years of his legal career. Their marriage later ended, and Karen continued living a quiet life away from media attention.
This biography covers Karen’s childhood, family, education, marriage, divorce, financial settlement, personality, estimated net worth, and current life, providing a clear look at her personal journey.
Quick Bio
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Karen Weitzul |
| Also Known As | Karen Weitzul Girardi |
| Date of Birth | Around 1941 |
| Age | Around 85 years old in 2026 |
| Birthplace | Wisconsin, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White (Caucasian) |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Education | Loyola Marymount University |
| Known For | First wife of Thomas Girardi |
| Marriage | August 1964 |
| Divorce Filed | 1983 |
| Divorce Completed | Late 1980s |
| Former Husband | Thomas Girardi |
| Children | No confirmed public record |
| Father | Edward A. Weitzul |
| Mother | Mary R. Weitzul |
| Stepfather | Charles DuMont |
| Siblings | Thomas Weitzul, Patricia Weitzul Price, James Weitzul |
| Family Background | Weitzul–DuMont engineering and construction family |
| Residence | Pasadena, California, USA |
| Estimated Net Worth | $1–$2 million |
| Social Media | None |
| Public Presence | Very private |
Karen Weitzul’s Childhood and Family
Karen Weitzul was born around 1941 in Wisconsin and grew up as the oldest of four children. Her early home life focused on education, responsibility, discipline, and hard work. Being the eldest also gave her an important role among her younger siblings.
Her father, Edward A. Weitzul, worked as a civil engineer, while her mother was Mary R. Weitzul. Karen’s siblings were Thomas Weitzul, Patricia Weitzul Price, and James Weitzul.
Her family later became connected with engineering and construction. This practical family environment helped shape Karen’s calm, responsible, and private personality from an early age.
Karen Weitzul’s Age and Birthday
Karen Weitzul was born around 1941 in Wisconsin, United States. Based on that approximate birth year, she is around 85 years old in 2026. Her early childhood was spent in the Midwest before her family made an important move west.
Her birth year places her childhood during a very different period in American life. Family, education, discipline, and community played important roles in her upbringing. These early experiences appear to have influenced the calm lifestyle she later followed.
Karen has never developed a public celebrity lifestyle around personal milestones. Her birthday and private celebrations have remained outside the spotlight. This matches the strong sense of privacy associated with her throughout her adult life.
Moving to Southern California
Karen’s family relocated from Wisconsin to Southern California during the early 1950s. The move introduced her to a completely different environment. California was expanding quickly and offered growing opportunities in construction, engineering, and other professional fields.
Her family’s engineering and construction connections developed further after the move. Their work became associated with homes, schools, and commercial projects. Karen therefore spent an important part of her teenage years surrounded by the growth of Southern California.
The move also influenced her personal future. California became the place where she continued her education and eventually entered the social world that connected her with Thomas Girardi. It would remain an important part of her life for decades.
Education at Loyola Marymount University
Karen attended Loyola Marymount University as a young woman. University life gave her an opportunity to become more independent while developing friendships and social connections. She was remembered for having a gentle and approachable personality.
In 1959, Karen was selected as a Homecoming Queen finalist. The recognition reflected her popularity among other students. She stood out without developing the highly public personality normally associated with people seeking attention.
Her university years later became important for another reason. Thomas Girardi had connections with Loyola through his legal education. Their shared Loyola environment helped create the social connection that eventually brought them into each other’s lives.
Karen Weitzul and Thomas Girardi’s First Meeting
Karen Weitzul and Thomas Girardi met through their Loyola connections and social circles in Los Angeles during the early 1960s. At the time, Karen was known for her calm and friendly personality, while Girardi was focused on building his future in law.
Their different personalities created a natural balance. Karen preferred a quiet and steady lifestyle, while Girardi was ambitious and strongly focused on his developing legal career.
Their relationship grew during a period of rapid change and opportunity in Los Angeles. As they became closer, the couple decided to build a future together and eventually married in August 1964.
Marriage to Thomas Girardi
Karen Weitzul married Thomas Girardi in August 1964. Their marriage began while Girardi was still building the legal career that would eventually make him a nationally known attorney. Karen supported him during these formative years.
The couple made their life in Pasadena, California. As Girardi became increasingly busy with legal work, Karen maintained a quieter position in their personal world. She attended necessary social occasions but did not seek individual fame.
Their marriage continued for almost two decades before serious changes took place. Karen remained largely outside media attention throughout those years. Even her role as the wife of an increasingly successful lawyer did not turn her into a public personality.
Did Karen Weitzul Have Children?
Karen Weitzul and Thomas Girardi were married for almost two decades, but they did not have children together. Their married life was mainly centered in Pasadena, California, while Girardi worked on developing his legal career.
During their marriage, Karen preferred a quiet home life and stayed away from public attention. She focused on maintaining stability while her husband became increasingly involved in his professional work.
After their marriage ended, Karen continued keeping her personal and family life private. Her story has remained mainly connected to her former marriage, divorce, and later financial arrangements with Girardi.
Karen and Thomas Girardi’s Divorce
Karen filed for divorce from Thomas Girardi in 1983 after almost nineteen years of marriage. Their separation marked the end of an important period in both of their lives. The divorce process continued for several years.
The marriage was ultimately dissolved in the late 1980s. Financial matters formed an important part of the divorce arrangements because Girardi’s professional success had grown considerably during their marriage. Karen received ongoing spousal support after the separation.
She was reportedly entitled to monthly support of $10,000. This financial arrangement continued to connect the former spouses long after their marriage had ended. Karen otherwise moved away from Girardi’s increasingly public life.
Life After Her Divorce
After separating from Girardi, Karen built a much more independent life. She continued to be associated with Pasadena, California, where she could maintain the calm lifestyle she preferred. Public appearances did not become part of her post-divorce years.
Karen also stayed away from interviews and entertainment coverage. She did not use her former husband’s growing fame to create a public career. Instead, she kept her personal routines and relationships away from wider attention.
This pattern continued for decades. Even when Girardi became much more famous, Karen did not return to public life. Her consistent preference for privacy became one of the clearest characteristics associated with her.
Spousal Support and Financial Dispute
The financial arrangement between Karen and Girardi remained relevant many years after their divorce. Girardi was expected to continue making monthly spousal-support payments. However, his later financial difficulties affected these payments.
In 2020, Girardi sought a reduction in the amount he was paying Karen because of his financial situation. Unpaid support reportedly reached around $45,000 during that year. The amount continued growing as his financial and legal problems became more serious.
By 2022, the unpaid amount was close to $245,000. This brought Karen back into legal discussions connected with Girardi’s finances. However, her involvement centered on money owed under their long-standing divorce arrangements rather than his wider legal problems.
Karen Weitzul’s $200,000 Settlement
A major development came in 2022 when a $200,000 settlement involving Karen was approved. The money came from proceeds connected with the sale of Girardi’s Pasadena home. It addressed much of the financial dispute surrounding unpaid spousal support.
The settlement was significant because Karen and Girardi had been divorced for decades. Yet their earlier financial agreement had continued to create a legal connection between them. The payment helped bring that long-running issue closer to an end.
For Karen, it represented an important financial resolution after years of support arrangements. She did not turn the settlement into a public discussion. Her handling of the matter remained consistent with the private approach seen throughout her life.
Karen Weitzul’s Connection to Girardi’s Legal Troubles
Thomas Girardi’s legal and financial troubles gained major attention around 2020, bringing renewed interest in people connected to his past. Karen Weitzul’s name appeared because she was his first wife and still had financial matters linked to their divorce.
Her connection mainly involved unpaid spousal support. Girardi asked to reduce his monthly payments in 2020 as his financial problems grew, while the unpaid amount continued to increase.
By 2022, the unpaid support had reached nearly $245,000. Karen later received a $200,000 settlement from proceeds connected with the sale of Girardi’s Pasadena home.
Why Karen Weitzul Stayed Out of the Spotlight
Karen’s long-term privacy is one of the most noticeable parts of her story. She lived beside a lawyer whose career eventually attracted considerable attention, yet she never developed an interest in becoming a public personality herself.
After the divorce, that separation from publicity became even clearer. Karen did not seek interviews, television appearances, or other opportunities connected with her former husband. She also has no known social media presence.
Her approach suggests that privacy was more than a temporary reaction to Girardi’s later problems. It had been part of her lifestyle for many years. Even renewed interest in her name did not noticeably change how she lived.
Karen Weitzul’s Personality and Values
Karen has been described as calm, private, dignified, and humble. These characteristics fit the way she handled both her marriage and the decades following her divorce. She rarely allowed public attention to influence her lifestyle.
Her early family environment emphasized responsibility, discipline, and hard work. Similar qualities can be seen in the quiet and structured life associated with Karen as an adult. She appeared comfortable remaining outside the celebrity world.
Privacy became perhaps her most recognizable personal value. She protected her personal space during difficult periods and avoided unnecessary public conflict. Her story therefore differs sharply from the highly public life eventually surrounding Girardi.
Karen Weitzul’s Net Worth
Karen Weitzul’s net worth has been estimated at between $1 million and $2 million. Her financial position has been linked largely with long-term spousal support and the financial arrangements that followed her divorce from Thomas Girardi.
The $200,000 settlement approved in 2022 was another notable part of her financial history. It came after unpaid support accumulated during Girardi’s later financial difficulties. The settlement helped resolve an issue that stretched back to their earlier divorce agreement.
Karen has never been associated with a flashy lifestyle despite her financial security. She has instead maintained a quiet and comfortable way of living. This again reflects the private image that has followed her throughout her adult years.
Where Is Karen Weitzul Now?
Karen is believed to continue living a peaceful life in Pasadena, California. The city has been connected with important periods of her adult life, including her years with Girardi and the decades that followed their divorce.
She remains outside the public spotlight and does not maintain a known social media presence. There are no regular interviews, public appearances, or entertainment projects connected with her. Her daily life remains largely separate from celebrity culture.
That privacy is particularly notable considering the attention surrounding Girardi in recent years. Karen could easily have become part of the public discussion about her former husband. Instead, she continued following the quiet path she had chosen many years earlier.
Final Thoughts
Karen Weitzul is best known for her long connection to Thomas Girardi, but much of her own story reflects a privacy preference. From her Wisconsin childhood and California education to her marriage, she maintained a calm and independent personality.
Her marriage to Girardi lasted nearly two decades before she filed for divorce in 1983. Financial matters continued to connect them for many years, eventually leading to a $200,000 settlement in 2022.
Karen later continued her life away from media attention. Her story covers family, education, marriage, divorce, financial changes, and a lasting commitment to a quiet personal life.
FAQs About Karen Weitzul
Who is Karen Weitzul?
Karen Weitzul is an American woman best known as the first wife of former California attorney Thomas Girardi. She married Girardi in August 1964 and remained with him during the early years of his successful legal career.
How old is Karen Weitzul?
Karen Weitzul was born around 1941 in Wisconsin, United States. Based on this birth year, she is around 85 years old in 2026. She later moved with her family to Southern California.
When did Karen Weitzul marry Thomas Girardi?
Karen Weitzul married Thomas Girardi in August 1964. Their marriage lasted for almost two decades before Karen filed for divorce in 1983. The divorce process was completed during the late 1980s.
Did Karen Weitzul and Thomas Girardi have children?
Karen Weitzul and Thomas Girardi did not have children together during their marriage. Karen has always kept her family and personal matters away from media attention and continued living privately after their divorce.
What is Karen Weitzul’s net worth?
Karen Weitzul’s estimated net worth is between $1 million and $2 million. Her financial history includes long-term spousal support following her divorce and a $200,000 settlement connected with Girardi’s Pasadena property in 2022.
