Karen Lantry Seidel

Karen Lantry Seidel, of Slidell, Louisiana, was born on July 21, 1953, in Upstate New York to the late Janet and John "Jack" Lantry.
Karen passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on April 16, 2025, at the age of 71. While we mourn the unfillable void that her passing has left in our hearts, we celebrate her life and all that she built and leaves with us. We know she is overjoyed to have been reunited with her beloved husband, Marvin - who was no doubt waiting for her at the gates of Heaven and getting the last word that she was really the one who made him late all of their 47 years together.
Karen worked tirelessly for her family, becoming a fixture of the neighborhood while managing the Cracker Barrel store. She treasured the many friendships made while working and with her regular customers whom she thought of as family.
Karen was a disciplined woman who still made time for fun, creating traditions for her family. You could count on certain favorite decorations making their yearly return to the same spots and being corrected with her famous "side eye" if you put it out incorrectly.
Karen treasured spending time with her grown children and grandchildren – frequenting their school events and celebrating their milestones over the years. She was thoughtful and intentional in how she spent her time with grandchildren and always made sure to keep the candy jars and "Nana's playroom" always stocked with their favorite candy and toys.
Karen enjoyed seeing her children and grandchildren share her love of the Saints and Yankees – so long as they didn't talk during the games Karen would faithfully watch her grown children's favorite TV shows so they could chat about the stories during the week.
Karen is survived by the cornerstones of her life - her children and their spouses, Stephanie Gehm, Jennifer Whited (Rob), Jacob Seidel (Kimberly), Bernadette Seidel, Michael Seidel (Teri), and Timothy Seidel (Melanie Schiller), and her stepdaughter, Jocelyn Anderson.
The true loves of Karen's life were her 12 grandchildren, Olivia Gehm, Bradley Seidel, Hayley Higginbotham (Matt), Sarah Gehm, Emily Robbins, Ryleigh Seidel, Blake Seidel, Isabella Marshall, Cash Seidel, Duke Seidel, Brynlee Seidel, Liam Seidel, and her great-grandson, Hayes Higginbotham.
She also leaves behind the keeper of her childhood and all the "Kariboo" stories, her beloved siblings, Suzanne, Cathy, Jackie, Robert, Billy, and Timothy, along with her sister-in-law, Jill, and the late Kevin Lantry.
A celebration of life will be held on a future date for family and friends following an interment with her husband in the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Slidell, Louisiana. In lieu of flowers, the family would ask you to consider donating to the Compassus Living Foundation, who provided loving and compassionate care to Karen in her final days. Memories and condolences may be expressed at www.AudubonFuneralHome.com