Tracing the Life of Karen Weitzul: Family Roots, Marriage to Thomas Girardi, and a Life Largely Offstage

Basic Information

Early Life and Family Roots

Born around 1941 in Wisconsin, Karen Weitzul grew up in a family that prized education, self-reliance, and craftsmanship. Her father, Edward, was a civil engineer who first worked in Chicago railroads. Her mother, Mary, was a standout student and family caretaker from an early age, taking on adult responsibilities after her own mother died. In the early 1950s, the Weitzuls moved to Southern California and built an engineering and construction firm that evolved from homebuilding into commercial projects and public schools.

Karen was the eldest of four children. Siblings Thomas, Patricia, and James shared the family’s practical streak and academic leanings. The household atmosphere was one of projects and plans—drafting tables, site visits, and the drumbeat of deadlines—a formative backdrop for a daughter who would later choose a life mostly out of the public eye.

University-Age Years and Social Life

In November 1959, as a young adult, Karen appeared among the finalists for the Loyola Marymount University Homecoming Queen contest. The nod suggests she was active in campus social circles and connected with Loyola networks. It’s through those same circles that she may have encountered Thomas Girardi, who moved through Loyola institutions from high school to law school.

The snapshot is brief but evocative: a poised student in a bustling postwar Los Angeles, emblematic of a generation stepping toward adulthood amid California’s boom.

Marriage to Thomas Girardi (1964–1980s)

Karen married attorney Thomas Vincent Girardi in August 1964. He was rising in the Los Angeles legal world, and the couple’s marriage spanned nearly two decades. Karen filed for divorce in October 1983. Various accounts place the finalization in the late 1980s; by that period, a settlement providing $10,000 per month in spousal support was in place.

Reliable public records and long-form profiles of Girardi do not confirm any children from this marriage. While scattered social media claims suggest otherwise, those assertions have not been corroborated by court filings, biographies, or family obituaries.

Divorce, Spousal Support, and Later Financial Picture

The $10,000 monthly support persisted for decades. In February 2020, as Girardi’s finances unraveled, he sought to cut the payment to $5,000, citing fatigue and changing circumstances. By October 2020, arrears had reached roughly $45,000. In 2022, claims of unpaid support rose to $245,000, and the dispute ended with a negotiated $200,000 payout, funded from the sale of Girardi’s Pasadena mansion. The agreement resolved the arrears and waived future claims.

These figures are more than ledger lines; they are breadcrumbs tracing Karen’s continued financial tie to an ex-husband whose public collapse would dominate headlines. Even then, her name surfaced only in the margins—footnotes in court documents and settlement summaries—before receding again.

A Family Portrait

Karen’s family story is one of Midwestern grit transplanted to Southern California opportunity. Her mother’s 2007 obituary recorded a flourishing clan, noting nine grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren—descendants attributed to Karen’s siblings and their families. Karen’s own branch remains unpublicized, consistent with a life spent behind the curtain.

Weitzul–DuMont Family at a Glance

Residence and Public Presence

After the divorce, Karen lived in Pasadena, California, a city whose tree-lined streets and Craftsman homes echo her family’s building heritage. Unlike many linked to public scandals, she has not pursued media exposure. Direct social media presence is minimal; video content about her is effectively nonexistent. In a digital age that collects everything, her footprints are faint: a contrast to the storm around Girardi.

Public Mentions in the Wake of Girardi’s Legal Troubles

Between 2024 and 2025, news about Thomas Girardi’s criminal case dominated coverage, culminating in conviction and sentencing. Within that reporting, Karen’s name appears as historical context—the first wife, the long-ago settlement, the support arrears that were resolved in 2022. There have been no new developments about Karen herself in recent years, and no indications that she sought public comment.

Selected Timeline

FAQ

Who is Karen Weitzul?

She is an American woman best known as the first wife of attorney Thomas Girardi, with whom she was married from 1964 until their divorce was finalized in the late 1980s.

When and where was she born?

She was born around 1941 in Wisconsin, before moving with her family to Southern California in the early 1950s.

Did she attend Loyola Marymount University?

Her involvement is documented through being a finalist in the 1959 LMU Homecoming Queen contest; her full educational record is not publicly documented.

Did Karen Weitzul and Thomas Girardi have children?

There are no confirmed children in reliable public records, despite occasional unverified social media claims.

What did she do professionally?

There is no publicly documented career; she has maintained a notably private profile.

Where has she lived?

After the divorce, she resided in Pasadena, California.

What were the terms of her divorce settlement?

By the late 1980s, she was to receive $10,000 per month in spousal support.

Were there disputes over spousal support?

Yes; in 2020 arrears accumulated, and in 2022 she received a $200,000 payout to resolve unpaid amounts.

How is she connected to recent news about Girardi?

Her name appears incidentally in coverage of Girardi’s legal and financial troubles, mainly regarding historic support obligations.

What is known about her family?

Her parents, Edward and Mary, co-ran a construction business; she has three siblings, and her mother’s 2007 obituary noted nine grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren across the extended family.