Karen Ann Kenner Hancock Brandes

Born August 15, 1941, in St. Louis, Missouri to William Stanley Kenner and Mary Lorayne Tarpley Kenner and passed away on May 29, 2016, in Dallas, Texas. She moved at a young age to Highland Park, Texas where her mother married James Clay Hancock. Karen graduated from Highland Park High School and remained close to many of her classmates throughout her life. She attended Arlington State College (now UT Arlington), Texas Tech University and SMU night school. She also received the designation of Graduate, Realtors Institute of Texas.

She married William Heaton Brandes in 1963, after a brief four month courtship. They moved around for several years with Bill’s work and then settled in Irving, Texas. She became a real estate broker and opened her own office, Brandes Real Estate, Inc. in 1976. She served six years on the Board of Directors of the Irving Board of Realtors in several leadership positions, including President in 1982. She also served as a Director of the Texas Association of Realtors.

During their lifetime of fifty-two years together, Karen and Bill enjoyed boating, water skiing, snow skiing, golfing, traveling, taking golfing vacations and going on cruises. She loved playing golf, bridge and mahjong with her friends. Some of her civic involvements included the Irving Symphony League, Cultural Affairs Counsel of Irving, Friends of the Library, Irving Heritage Society, Director of the Irving Chamber of Commerce, and Las Colinas Women’s Association. She was a very thoughtful, caring and loving person who placed all of those traits at the top of her daily activities. Doing things for other people made her day successful and worthwhile. She will be truly missed by her family and many friends.

She was a member of the Highland Park United Methodist Church, which is also where she and Bill were married and where she had been a member in her childhood days. She is survived by her husband Bill, a daughter Kimberly Ann Verrett and husband Dave of The Woodlands, Texas, a son William Hancock Brandes and wife Tisha of Flower Mound, Texas and grandchildren Paul Edward Verrett, Ann Elizabeth Verrett, Katelyn Grace Brandes and William Hudson Brandes. She is also survived by sisters Gayle Kenner Lang of St. Louis, Missouri and Laura Kenner Breitweiser of Columbia, Missouri and brothers Nelson Kenner of Columbia, Missouri and Larry Kenner of Naples, Florida. Also, a brother, John Hancock preceded her in death.

Burial will be a private family graveside service at Sparkman-Hillcrest, with a memorial service and reception at Highland Park United Methodist Church, Cox Chapel, at 2:00 PM on Friday, June 3, 2016. In lieu of flowers, donations to your favorite charity would be appreciated and more lasting.