Karen Demel is one of the names associated with American business tycoon, chemist, and investor Dr. Jerry Buss.
He held a majority stake in the National Basketball Association’s Los Angeles Lakers. Buss remains a perfect example of success and an icon in Los Angeles.
However, his personal life was complex, with seven children from multiple marriages and relationships.
Karen Demel was one of his girlfriends and the only woman he had children with, apart from his first wife, JoAnn Mueller.
She had two kids for Jerry Buss— Joey Buss and Jesse Buss. She also had a son from a previous relationship named Sean Yeager.
Buss and Demel were reportedly married. However, verified media sources claimed Demel was Buss’s girlfriend until they parted.
Despite the fame and success of the Buss family, Karen Demel has decided to stay out of the spotlight.
But her name remains significant in Jerry Buss’s life and his legacy.
Early life and her relationship with Jerry Buss
Karen Demel was born in October 1954. She had a good upbringing and spent most of her early years with her parents.
Although she had a relatively average childhood, she became famous after her relationship with Jerry Buss.
Buss and Demel met in the 80s, and soon after, the pair started dating.
The couple was pictured together on November 25, 1980, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel for Sammy Davis Jr.’s Lifetime Achievement Award presentation. Several celebrities and elites graced the events.
Buss and Demel also appeared publicly in several other events during their relationship.
Motherhood and Marriage to Jerry Buss
According to some media reports, Demel and Buss got into a marriage that only lasted a few years. She also took her ex-husband’s last name— Karen Demel Buss.
Demel already had a son named Sean Yeager in 1974 from a previous relationship.
Buss adopted Sean as his stepson and took his last name— Sean Yeager “Buss.”
Demel and Buss welcomed their first child, Joey Buss, in 1985. Three years later, they had another son, Jesse Buss.
Jesse is currently the co-owner and assistant general manager of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, while Joey has opted to live a private life with his wife, Nicole Buss, and their children.
Jesse Buss, a famous figure in the Laker’s front office, also has a wife— Sarah Jordan Buss, and two children, Jaden and Ashton Buss.
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Their stepbrother Sean Buss was also a Scout for LA Lakers from 2018 to 2019.
Sean’s identity broke into the media when the LAPD arrested him for assaulting a Beverly Hills traffic officer in 2010.
He is 50 years old in 2024 and lives with his wife and family.
Where is Karen Demel Now?
After Jerry Buss passed away, Demel’s private life became more concealed.
Her recent photo was pictured at a football game she attended with her children, Joey and Jesse, in 2013.
Demel, including her children and grandkids, currently resides in Los Angeles, California.