Karen Byrd Fennerty

Karen Byrd Fennerty, 74, of Springdale, Ark., passed away on Wednesday, May 12, 2021, at her home. She was born Tuesday, March 25, 1947, in Hollis, Oklahoma, to Thomas Edison Crockett and Mary Kathryn Trueblood Crockett. Karen grew up in Southwest Oklahoma. She was baptized and raised in the First Baptist Church of Gould, Oklahoma. She graduated from Gould High School in 1965. She attended Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana. She graduated from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, in 1979, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Landscape Architecture. Following her graduation, she became a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and worked for Purdue University as a Landscape Architect. Her work included improving and expanding Purdue University's campus to include the Purdue Undergraduate Library and creation of the Krannert School of Management. The last major project that she completed was Purdue University's Engineering Mall. She retired in 1995 as Purdue's Facilities Planning Manager. She married Donald J. Fennerty on January 1, 1984. Karen was a devout Christian. She was an avid outdoor person. She loved horticulture and growing plants. She enjoyed genealogy and tracing her family tree. She loved spending time with her family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Don Fennerty; father, Thomas Crockett, mother, Mary Crockett and brother, Terry Crockett. She is survived by her son, Brenten T. Byrd and his wife Whitney of Elm Springs, Arkansas; four grandchildren, Braydon, Maxwell, Ethan, and Ali of Elm Springs, Arkansas; two brothers and sisters-in-law, David Crockett and his wife Susie of Douglas, Ga., and Ronald Crockett and his wife Annie of Houston, Texas. She will be greatly missed. Online condolences: www.WestfieldChapel.com