Karen Barrows Obituary
died peacefully on August 17, 2025 at her home in Camarillo, CA.
She was born May 4, 1938 in Idaho Falls, ID to John Henry Beins & Pearl Henrietta Chappell. After being raised on a farm there and educated at the local schools she Graduated from Idaho Falls HS in 1956.
Karen came to California in the early nineteen-sixties. She had worked for Westinghouse on the desert in Idaho and was able to get a job in the steno-pool at their facility in Santa Clara. She went on to work as a secretary for Dudley Swim, a multimillionaire businessman. She learned about investing from him.
She met Bill Barrows in 1966, and they married after his first tour in Viet Nam. They were stationed in Germany for his second tour. She worked for the Air Force and held a high military clearance due to her time at Westinghouse in Idaho.
When Karen returned to the US from Germany in 1970 she was pregnant with her daughter, Mara Kay. She and Bill settled in Santa Barbara. The marriage did not last much longer. Karen focused on supporting herself and Mara. Eventually she found herself working for Frank Wertheim at Abbeon Cal. He too was a savvy investor and mentored her. She eventually was the Operations Manger for Abbeon and was there for more than 40 years.
Karen was musical and artistic. She loved all things Native American. She loved nature and enjoyed travel, especially to Shaver Lake each summer with her family. She was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church in Santa Barbara.
After she retired at the age of 80 and had a few health problems she sold her home of 40 years in Santa Barbara and purchased one in Camarillo, so that Mara and her family could live with her and help care for her.
She is preceded in death by her parents and by her brother, John A. Beins.
Karen is survived by her daughter, Mara, son-in-law Tom Hassenbein Jr., grandsons; Thomas Jacob and Tyler Michael and grand-daughter Malia Kay.
A Memorial Service will be held at 11 am September 23, 2025 at Ascension Lutheran Church in Thousand Oaks.
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