Karen Kathryn Keller was born August 31, 1938 in Alexandria, Nebraska to Fred and Marcella Keller. She passed from this earth on January 23, 2018 after a more than 40 year battle with Crohn’s disease.
She married Gary Bearsdley on Oct. 14, 1958.
Together they raised four sons, Shawn, Thane, Sean and Tracy.
Moving every few years to follow Gary’s career as a Marine was the beginning of Karen’s wanderlust.
They travelled the world after his retirement in 1979. Visiting Russia, Amsterdam and often grabbing a Space A flight to Hawaii for dinners that lasted several days.
Karen enjoyed traveling on the cargo planes with the troops and told many tales of the interesting people she met.
Along the way she enjoyed careers at the IRS and as a copy editor at McGraw-Hill.
The Beardsley’s settled in Mesquite in 1998. Never one to remain idle Karen was one of the early members of the Virgin Valley Artists Association.
She was the driving force in establishing and developing the Mesquite League of Women’s Voters.
Karen spent many years as a board member and public liaison for the Mesquite-Toes.
Serving her community in many areas, she had a passion for politics and volunteered to coach ‘We the People’, a program teaching fifth graders about the constitution and prepare high school seniors for We the People Foundation annual competition in Las Vegas.
She was a frequent volunteer for the Mesquite Long Drive and enjoyed being outdoors and meeting people from around the world.
Karen ran for City Council in 2005.
Was an active member in the Mesquite Exchange Club and helped to put together the successful dinner and auction Mesquite Mardi Gras Madness.
She served on the committee that wrote Mesquite’s City Charter in 2016, along with many other boards and committees.
Even as life started to throw curve balls, Karen’s activism and desire to help never faltered. Gary lived the final days of his life at the Southern Utah Veteran’s Home in Ivins, UT. There Karen helped to establish a support group for spouses of Veterans with dementia and other terminal illnesses.
She is well known as a caring, compassionate force to be reckoned with.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband Gary and their oldest son Shawn.
She leaves behind, her three younger sons and daughter-in-law, Thane Beardsley, of Colorado, Sean and Pernella Beardsley, of Hawaii, and Tracy Beardsley, of Colorado.
She also leaves two brothers whom she adored, Ted and Lisa Keller of Florida and Richard Keller and his partner Sarkis Sarkissian of California. And a half brother, Jack Keller of CO.
Grandsons Shawn, Jeremiah and Anthony Beardsley, granddaughters Shani, Xoe and Troy of Colorado Springs, CO., and two great-grandsons, Owen and Tyler of CO.
One niece LaTroy and Monty Kyle of Fruita, CO, and one nephew Rod and Dawn Keller of Boulder City, NV.She also leaves three aunts and 13 cousins.
She will be dearly missed by a community who will long remember her intelligence, her sense of humor and her dedication to her many friends and activities.
Her ashes will be interred at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, NV along side her husband.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 17 at 10 a.m. at
Living Waters Fellowship
211 West First South, suite C&D
Mesquite, NV. 89027
(Behind Ace Hardware).
In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Southern Utah Veterans Home 160 N 200 E, Ivins, UT 84738.
So sorry to hear about Karen. She was a wonderful person
who I enjoyed very much. We were truly blessed to have Karen as part of our community!
Karen was a perfect example of what “a positive force in the community” looks like. She will be missed by many, including the members of the Mesquite-Toes, who were honored to have her serve on their BOD as community liaison. I am also blessed to have considered her my friend.