Karen Weitzul is known as the first ex-wife of former lawyer Thomas Girardi, but she has always lived a quiet and private life of her own. Born around 1941 in Wisconsin, she later moved to Southern California with her family and studied at Loyola Marymount University, where she was well-liked by classmates. She married Girardi in 1964 and supported him during the early years of his legal career, choosing a peaceful life away from attention.
Their marriage ended in the 1980s, and she received long-term spousal support, including a settlement in 2022. Even when Girardi’s legal troubles became national news, Karen stayed completely private. Today, she is believed to live a calm and quiet life in Pasadena, known for her dignity and strong sense of privacy.
Quick Bio
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Karen Weitzul (later known as Karen Weitzul Girardi) |
| Date of Birth | Around 1941 |
| Birthplace | Wisconsin, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White (Caucasian) |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Education | Loyola Marymount University |
| Known For | First wife of attorney Thomas Girardi |
| Marriage | Married in August 1964 |
| Divorce | Filed in 1983, completed in the late 1980s |
| Children | No confirmed public records |
| Residence | Pasadena, California, USA |
| Family Background | Weitzul–DuMont family engineering and construction lineage |
| Father | Edward A. Weitzul (Civil Engineer) |
| Mother | Mary R. Weitzul (later Mary R. DuMont) |
| Stepfather | Charles DuMont |
| Siblings | Thomas Weitzul, Patricia Weitzul Price, James Weitzul |
| Net Worth (2025) | Estimated $1–$2 million |
| Personality Traits | Private, calm, dignified, humble |
| Social Media | None |
| Public Involvement | No interviews, no media presence |
Who is Karen Weitzul?
Karen Weitzul is the first wife of former attorney Thomas Girardi, but she is mainly known for living a very private and quiet life. Born around 1941 in Wisconsin, she grew up in a hardworking family before moving to Southern California in the 1950s. She studied at Loyola Marymount University, where she was well-liked and chosen as a Homecoming Queen finalist. Karen married Girardi in 1964 and stayed by his side during the early years of his growing legal career, always choosing privacy over attention.
Their marriage ended when she filed for divorce in 1983, and she later received long-term spousal support, including a settlement in 2022. Even when Girardi’s legal troubles made national news, Karen never spoke publicly or joined the spotlight. She is believed to live a peaceful and independent life in Pasadena, with an estimated net worth of $1–$2 million.
Early Life And Family Background
Karen was born in Wisconsin around 1941, during a time when many families lived simple lives built around work, honesty, and community. Her childhood was shaped by a home that valued education, discipline, and a strong work ethic. Her father, Edward A. Weitzul, worked as a civil engineer, a job that required careful planning, responsibility, and long hours. Her mother, Mary R. Weitzul, was smart, capable, and respected by everyone who knew her. Karen grew up as the oldest of four children, which meant she often helped guide her younger siblings and learned responsibility at an early age.
The family lived with modest means but had strong values. Their home was filled with conversations about construction, design, and engineering. These daily experiences taught Karen the importance of patience, stability, and doing things the right way. Her early years gave her a sense of calm confidence that stayed with her throughout her life.
Karen Weitzul Age and Personal Details
Karen Weitzul, born around 1941, is about 84 years old in 2025 and is known for living a very private and calm life. She grew up in Wisconsin before moving to Southern California, studied at Loyola Marymount University, and later married attorney Thomas Girardi in 1964. Their marriage ended in the 1980s, and she received long-term spousal support. Today, she is believed to live quietly in Pasadena with an estimated net worth of $1–$2 million.
Moving To Southern California
During the early 1950s, Karen’s family moved from Wisconsin to Southern California. At this time, California was experiencing rapid growth, offering new opportunities for professionals like her father. The move changed everything for Karen. She went from the quiet Midwest to a place filled with sunshine, new people, and a faster-paced life. Her family’s construction and engineering business expanded into building homes, schools, and commercial spaces, which helped the family become even more stable.
This new environment exposed Karen to a mix of cultures, ideas, and experiences. The move also shaped her future in another way: it placed her in the same general world that would later connect her to Tom Girardi. But more importantly, it helped her grow into a thoughtful young woman who understood both the quiet strength of the Midwest and the lively spirit of California.
Education And Young Adulthood
As Karen entered her late teens, she began attending Loyola Marymount University, an important chapter in her life. She was known among fellow students for her gentle personality, kindness, and natural grace. In 1959, she was selected as a finalist for the Homecoming Queen, something that showed how well-liked she was among her classmates. She carried herself with calm confidence, never loud or attention-seeking, but always warm and approachable.
Her time at the university allowed her to build friendships, grow socially, and gain a sense of independence. She was smart, respectful, and mature, qualities that made a lasting impression on the people who knew her. These years also placed her in the same world that Tom Girardi was part of, since he studied at Loyola Law School. The shared environment created the pathway that eventually brought them together.
How Karen Met Thomas Girardi
Karen and Tom met through their shared Loyola connections and the social circles that formed around young professionals in 1960s Los Angeles. At the time, Tom was beginning his journey into law, filled with ambition and energy, while Karen was known for her calm nature and friendly personality. Their opposite qualities created a natural attraction.
Tom’s excitement and drive blended with Karen’s steady character, giving them a sense of balance. The culture of the time was also changing rapidly. Los Angeles was growing, careers were expanding, and young adults were finding their place in a world full of new possibilities. In this environment of hope and opportunity, Karen and Tom began their relationship, eventually deciding to build a life together.
Marriage To Thomas Girardi
Karen and Tom married in August 1964, beginning a marriage that lasted nearly two decades. They lived in Pasadena, a community known for beautiful homes, quiet streets, and a more traditional way of life. During their marriage, Tom’s legal career grew quickly, placing him in courtrooms, news stories, and major legal circles. Karen played a very different role. She kept their home life steady and structured, supporting Tom without stepping into the public eye. She preferred quiet surroundings, private routines, and a peaceful life.
Even as Tom became more well-known, Karen stayed exactly the same—calm, respectful, and quietly strong. While some women might have embraced the attention that came with being married to a rising attorney, Karen chose to remain private. She attended events, supported her husband, and took part in social gatherings when needed, but she never sought attention for herself. Her life was built on simplicity and comfort rather than fame or glamour. No verified public records show that she and Tom had children, and her silence on personal matters kept this part of her life private.
Who Is Thomas Girardi?
Thomas Girardi is a former American lawyer once known for winning major lawsuits, including the famous PG&E case that inspired the movie Erin Brockovich. Born in 1939, he built a strong reputation in California as a powerful trial attorney and co-founder of the law firm Girardi & Keese. For many years, he was praised for helping clients in large injury and consumer cases, but his career collapsed after he was accused of taking money from clients and mishandling funds. He was later disbarred and faced serious legal trouble, turning his once-respected career into a major public scandal.
Karen Weitzul’s Children
There is no confirmed public record showing that Karen Weitzul and Thomas Girardi had any children together, and reliable sources consistently state that their marriage did not produce children. Some online rumors have suggested otherwise, but no trustworthy documents support those claims, and Karen has always kept her personal life private.
Divorce And Legal Proceedings
After almost nineteen years of marriage, Karen filed for divorce in 1983, a difficult but important moment in her life. The process took several years and was finalized in the late 1980s, partly because Thomas Girardi’s career and finances were complex. Karen received $10,000 per month in spousal support, a reflection of how successful Tom had become by that time.
The divorce could have been a moment for her to speak publicly or share her side of the story, but she chose silence and moved forward quietly. She never gave interviews or tried to shape public opinion about the end of the marriage. Instead, she focused on rebuilding her own life, staying gentle, steady, and private through the entire process.
Later Financial Issues
Many years after the divorce, Tom Girardi began facing major financial problems. In 2020, he asked the court to reduce his monthly support payments to Karen, saying that he was struggling financially. Over time, unpaid support added up, totaling around $45,000 in 2020 and rising to nearly $245,000 by 2022. Despite this, Karen never spoke publicly about the situation. She continued to handle things privately and respectfully. In 2022, a $200,000 settlement was approved from the sale of Girardi’s Pasadena home, which brought their long financial connection to an end. For Karen, this settlement represented closure and perhaps relief after many years of unresolved issues.
Life After Divorce
After the divorce, Karen continued living in Pasadena, choosing a life of privacy and independence. Pasadena was the perfect match for her personality—quiet, peaceful, and safe. She built her life away from the public eye, avoiding interviews, media, or even social media accounts. She lived on her own terms, guided by the values she learned growing up. Her quiet routines, family connections, and personal boundaries helped her maintain a stable and comfortable life. Even when Tom Girardi’s legal troubles became major news, Karen never stepped forward to comment or involve herself. Her strong choice to remain silent showed her dignity and respect for her own peace.
Public Mentions During Girardi’s Scandal
Between 2020 and 2025, when Tom Girardi’s financial and legal problems became widely discussed, Karen’s name appeared again in news reports. But her involvement was only in old legal records related to spousal support. She was never connected to any wrongdoing and played no role in anything that happened. Reporters included her name only because she was part of Girardi’s long past. Karen did not comment, did not react, and did not allow the scandal to pull her into the spotlight. Her silence showed the same calm discipline she had lived with all her life.
Personality And Values
Through every stage of her life, Karen showed a personality shaped by kindness, discipline, and quiet confidence. She was not interested in drama, attention, or public opinion. She believed in handling life privately, respecting her own peace, and staying steady no matter what happened around her. Her values came from her family and her upbringing—hard work, calm behavior, respect for others, and responsibility. These qualities helped her move through difficult times without losing herself. She lived with strength that did not need to be loud, and with dignity that did not need to be praised.
Net Worth And Current Life
As of 2025, Karen is believed to live a comfortable and independent life in Pasadena with an estimated net worth between $1 and $2 million, mostly from long-term support and careful money management. She stays away from public events, avoids online platforms, and chooses a simple life centered around privacy and calm surroundings. She shows that you do not need attention to live well, and you do not need recognition to feel fulfilled.
Conclusion
The story of Karen Weitzul is a story of quiet strength. She lived her life with grace, supported others without seeking credit, rebuilt her life after major changes, and chose privacy even when the world around her turned chaotic. Her name may appear because of someone else’s fame and failures, but her own life stands on a foundation of dignity and self-respect.
She reminds us that real strength does not always appear in headlines. Sometimes it exists in silence, in stability, in calm choices, and in the decision to live life on your own terms. Karen’s story shows that a life lived quietly can still carry deep meaning, and that privacy can be one of the greatest strengths a person can hold.
FAQs About Karen Weitzul
1. Who is Karen Weitzul?
Karen Weitzul is best known as the first wife of former attorney Thomas Girardi, and she is known for living a very private and quiet life.
2. When was Karen Weitzul born?
She was born around 1941, which makes her about 84 years old in 2025.
3. Where is Karen Weitzul from?
She was born in Wisconsin and later moved to Southern California with her family in the early 1950s.
4. Did Karen Weitzul and Thomas Girardi have children?
No confirmed public records show that Karen and Thomas Girardi had any children together.
5. When did Karen Weitzul marry Thomas Girardi?
She married Thomas Girardi in August 1964.
6. When did Karen and Girardi divorce?
Karen filed for divorce in 1983, and the process was completed in the late 1980s.
7. Where does Karen Weitzul live now?
She is believed to live a quiet and private life in Pasadena, California.
8. What is Karen Weitzul’s estimated net worth?
Her net worth is estimated to be between $1 million and $2 million, mainly from long-term spousal support and careful financial planning.