“I’m not conceited. It’s one of the reasons why I’m so great!”
Karl went home peacefully, after a series of strokes, on September 15, 2014. He leaves behind his beloved wife Olga; his daughter Celia (husband Tim); four sons Mario (wife Veronica), Peter (Charlene), Mark (Tatiana) and Dominic (Sarah); his sisters Myra and Sophie; plus
11 grandchildren. He was born October 3, 1931 in the Swiss town of Samaden. After a year, his family moved to Seibersdorf, Austria. Just before World War II erupted, his family fled to the relative safety of Northern British Columbia. Karl attended St. George’s High School in Vancouver until his graduation in 1950. He then studied English and Zoology at the University of Toronto. At his graduation, Karl refused his diploma because it meant kneeling before the university’s Dean. “I kneel before no one but God and the Queen, and I’m not sure about the Queen,” he said. After graduation, Karl worked as a financial reporter for the Toronto Telegram until 1960. He quit his job to take a backpack trip across Europe; in Weikersheim, Germany he fell in love with Olga Windisch-Graetz. They married in Trieste the following year. Returning to Vancouver, Karl became an investment advisor with the Royal Trust, a company he would work for the rest of his employed life. In this position, Karl made his clients his top priority. “My approach to my clients was always to get to know them, to care for them, and invest their money in a way that serves their best interests,” he told his co-workers when he retired in 1989. Royal Bank of Canada trust advisor Michael McManus said, “I always enjoyed chatting with Karl, because he reminded me of the basic lessons I occasionally forgot while doing my job.” Retirement allowed Karl to work with several charitable institutions, serving on the Catholic Family Services board and becoming Regional Link for Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. He and Olga invited many people into their home over the years, offering a helping hand to those who needed it. His community leadership, love of family and friends, and outrageous sense of humour will be missed. Evening prayers will be held at 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 3, 2014 at St. Peter and Paul’s Parish. His Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 4 at the same location, with Reception at 3:00 p.m. at the Arbutus Club. In lieu of flowers, please send charitable donations to the following organizations:
-The Missionaries of Charity
-Aid to the Church in Need
-St. Joseph Missionaries of Sacrifice
-Covenant House Vancouver