Karen Krandel Palans

Karen Krandel Palans passed away October 6, 2024, following complications from heart transplant surgery. She was born in Houston, Texas on January 29, 1958, to Eileen Ostrow Krandel and A. Leon Krandel. At two days old, doctors at Texas Children’s Hospital detected a heart murmur and thus began a 66-year journey of dealing with congenital heart disease.

Karen attended Bellaire High School and the University of Texas, where she obtained her BBA and was a member of Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority. She then returned to Houston where she worked as a market analyst at Transco Energy Company.

Accepting an invitation for a blind date as long as her cousins (who were more like sisters) Susan and Cindy Katz came along, she met a young banker from San Antonio named David Palans. It was love at first sight (at least according to David). Within six months of meeting, they were engaged. They were married on April 17, 1983, and became the parents of a son and daughter. Karen and David enjoyed a loving marriage of 41 years.

Karen was a faithful member of both Congregation Beth Israel in Houston and Temple Beth-El in San Antonio, where she served on multiple committees. She was both a member and dedicated volunteer at several organizations in Houston and San Antonio, including Texas Children’s Hospital, where she was a Candy Striper; the Barshop Jewish Community Center; Golden Manor Home for the Aged; and the Adult Congenital Heart Association. Her most satisfying volunteer work was with Paws for Service in San Antonio with her beloved dog Chauncey, where they visited multiple charitable organizations for many years.

Most of all Karen enjoyed people, with a host of friends throughout the country. She had a decades-long weekly Mahjong game with dear friends and had recently taken up canasta with another group of friends. She traveled for years with her Geenas enjoying good food, good wine and good friends. She and David traveled extensively, although recent health issues forced her to postpone several trips to Europe – she never got to see Paris.

While Karen struggled throughout her life with congenital heart disease, she never let it define who she was. Probably more knowledgeable about her condition and medications than most third-year med students, she met every new health challenge with unspeakable courage and grace.

She is preceded in death by her parents, father-in-law Seymour Palans, and brother-in-law Steve Palans. She is survived by her husband David and her two children, Brian (Jessica) Palans and Leslie Palans, whom she loved dearly. The apple of her eye were her grandchildren, Eliza and Caleb Palans, who KK enjoyed spoiling with the help of Bucee every chance they got. Additional survivors include her dear brother Craig (Judy) Krandel, her mother-in-law Judy Palans and sister-in-law Melany Palans as well as beloved nephews Matt (Katie) Krandel and Jacob and Garrett Palans, and her “most favorite niece” Courtney (Liam) LaComb who shared her birthday. She is also survived by loving cousins and lifelong friends.

Pallbearers are Reuben Bar-Yadin, Dr. Richard Benedikt, Steve Brodie, Alan Chesler, Les Fox, Randy Pulman, David Sokol, and Steve Weil.

The family is grateful for the lifelong care given by physicians and nurses at Texas Children’s Hospital and more recently Houston Methodist Hospital. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Adult Congenital Heart Program at Texas Children’s Hospital, Temple Beth-El, or a charity of your choice. More importantly, Karen would want you to befriend someone, because as she was fond of saying – “life’s too short.” There will be a private graveside service for family members prior to the memorial service.

MEMORIAL SERVICEMONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 202411:30 AMTEMPLE BETH-EL211 BELKNAP PLACE

Click the link to livestream the service of Karen Krandel Palans:

https://s3-us-east-2.amazonaws.com/mf-fwp/pl_20241014-palans.html