Mrs. Karen T. Deal

Karen is survived by her father, Arch Deal, and mother, Margaret Lane; sisters Diane Deal-Hardy, Shari Deal, Michelle Deal, and brother Douglas. A resident of Tampa since the age of five, Karen attended High School at Tampa Catholic, and using her music talents, she formed her own little band of musicians, called the Mod Squad along with Joey Donovan and Rodger Stephan. They last performed at the anniversary of Skipper's last month. At an early age Karen studied the piano in Tampa under Lucille Dworshak , learning the classics, but yearning to play the music of the 60's. Her band was the lead-in decades ago to the Jefferson Airplane playing in concert. There she met and later married the former originator and lead singer of the Airplane, Marty Balin. They lived for years in Mill Valley, Ca, just North of the Golden Gate Bridge. Later they moved back to Tampa where Karen gave birth of their only child, Delaney, who just reached her 16th birthday on Veterans Day. Karen's world was music...she loved the Beatles and John Lennon and his song: Imagine. Sister Diane believes Karen is now where she can meet Lennon, along with her beloved Maternal and Paternal Grand Parents, who meant so much to Karen. Karen said she refused to "grow old". She often said, we have to grow older....but we don't have to grow OLD. She will be remembered for the music she played, as she performed on the stage with her beloved keyboards.