Karen Demas Haney's Obituary
Karen Demas Haney passed away quietly at home on Sunday, August 18th, 2024 with her family after a nearly 3.5 year battle with liver disease. She is survived by the love of her life, her husband Richard Neil Haney, her son, Mark Haney, his wife, Laura and their three children Robert, Olivia and Emily.
Karen was born September 27, 1947 to Nick & Stella Demas in Brooklyn, New York - growing up until age 8 in New York playing stoopball and learning that NY bagels are the best things in the world until moving to Daytona Beach, Florida. In Daytona she grew up working at “The Surf Bar” on the Main Street Pier owned and operated by her parents. After graduating high school from Mainland she attended Florida State University and fell in love with a rock band singer & football quarterback, Neil Haney. They married June 1973 and settled in Daytona Beach.
Many of you knew my mom for the thousands of lives she touched in the Daytona Beach area - as an educator of over 30 years! My mom was known as one of the best teachers in the area specializing in elementary education (mainly 4th-6th grades) and gifted classes. She spent countless hours sharing and mentoring other teachers and parents' year in and year out. Ultimately, she was recognized for her excellence as teacher of the year for Volusia County.
After many years working my parents retired and moved to live closer to our growing family here in Dallas, TX and have been here the past 12 years. My mom was able to see her three grandchildren grow up, share in birthdays and holidays and of course - FSU Football games on the weekends. After my mom started fighting her liver disease, we took both her and my dad on big trips to her favorite places - Las Vegas and Disney World - while she could still travel and see her favorite sites and in style I might add! As her disease progressed, we moved her into our own home where she had a room to herself overlooking the backyard where the kids would play. She saw her family every single day and knew she was loved.
We will be having services here in Dallas and also plan to make a trip back to Daytona for a special get together there for everyone in central Florida that would want to remember her together with us.
Thank you, Karen Haney, for all you have done for so many students in your many years guiding teaching and mentoring. But thank you especially for being Olivia’s teacher during the pandemic when the schools shut - likely your finest hour. And finally thank you for raising me right, teaching me how to succeed and how to build a loving family - we owe everything to you!
May you rest in peace and GO NOLES!
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