Pete's obituary

Obituary for Hays Daily and Beloit Call:

Peter Joseph Karlin was born to Leo and Martha (Etzel) Karlin October 8, 1938 in Hays, Kansas. He died at Mitchell County Hospital May 10, 2011. Pete’s life was spent in education as a teacher and as an administrator. He taught in Damar, Victoria, Courtland, Beloit, Jennings, and Utica, Kansas.

The fourth youngest of fifteen children, he was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Sister Leonissa, Leocadia (Katie), and Martha Jean and brothers Felix, Leroy, Gerard and Norman who died in infancy, Herb, Larry, and Fred. He is survived by sisters, Sister Mary Martha of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and Betty Pfeifer of Hays, and brothers John of Hillsboro, Oregon and Tom of Lakewood, Washington and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pete was born with a debilitating disease, syringomyelia, which increasingly limited his control of his body, but he did not let it interfere with his passions: education, politics, and ecology. It devasted his body, but not his spirit. Known in his family as the “pater familia” (father of the family) many family gatherings were held where ever Pete, his mother, and brother Herb made their home. The three of them took care of each other. Pete’s faith was very important to him, and his strong beliefs guided his many projects and community involvement.

Pete will be much missed by his immediate family and the “family” he adopted among the residents and staff at Hilltop when he could no longer live alone. His final wish was to donate his body to medical research so he could continue “teaching” after his death. Unfortunately, this was not able to be done. His body was cremated and memorial services are pending. Burial will be in the family plot in Severin cemetery.

-- Nadine Karlin