Richard G. Karrer

Richard G. Karrer was born May 9th, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois. He died peacefully at home on July 28th with his wife, Barbara, and his youngest daughter, Susan, and her husband, Roy, at his side. Daughter, Mary, and her husband, Juan, held their own vigil of prayer with them from Miami. He was known for his booming voice and gregarious personality. A talented woodworker, he crafted two grandfather's clocks, one for each daughter and refinished many antiques to create a home filled with custom furniture. He had an eye for art and design, so the walls of his home have always popped with colorful paintings, wood carvings and pictures of family. He tackled life, and was a force to recon with, both at home and at the negotiating table in business. With Barbara at his side, Richard "designed" a life that took them far from the cold Chicago winters. Richard earned a degree in Biology from Northwestern University before joining the Navy. A Korean War veteran, he attended Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island before deploying to the Orient as a Gunnery Officer and Communications Officer on a Destroyer escort. Following his naval service, Richard and Barbara dreamed of more travel overseas. They attended Thunderbird school of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona to prepare for a career in international business that led them to a 20-year stint in Colombia, Venezuela, and finally Brazil. Bethany Church in Ravenswood, Chicago, held a special place in Richard's heart. He was raised in apartments just across from his church and school, where Richard's faith and sense of community were shaped. His mother, Mary, was widowed when Richard was ten and it was Bethany that played a key role in their lives. She was very involved in the Mary and Martha club, a group that instilled a spirit of service that would inspire Richard in every city he lived in and each church he joined. Richard made a point to attend church regularly and to become active in his community. He served on the board at Graded School in Sao Paolo, and was past president of the Miami Shores Community Church in Miami Shores, Florida for several years. Upon returning to the United States, he "retired" by purchasing a lampshade company, Custom Shades, which he and Barbara ran for 25 years. Always a pillar of the community, Richard touched many lives throughout the years in church, business and pleasure. His friendships spanned his lifetime and the house was always filled with friends and family "passing through." Richard was also a devoted father to Mary and Susan and loving husband to Barbara. He lived large, he lived well, and he died peacefully in the arms of Christ. Richard is survived by his wife of 59 years, Barbara Ann Tillotson Karrer, daughters Mary Ester Karrer Andreu, Susan Jean Karrer Parks and their husbands, Juan Jose Andreu, Jr. and Roy Allen Parks. He is also survived by four wonderful grandchildren that he was very proud of, Sarah Christine Parks, Johnathan Carl Parks, Michael Joseph Andreu and Danielle Marie Parks. His extended family includes Joann Burke and the Gehl and Andariese cousins. His parents were Mary Gehl Karrer and Grover John Karrer. Services August 6, 2015 at Palms West Funeral Home in Royal Palm Beach, Florida, with a viewing at 11:00 a.m. and a funeral service at 12:30 p.m. Interment at 2:15 at the South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth. The family requests that donations be made in Richard's memory to: Hospice of Palm Beach County, 5300 East Avenue, West Palm Beach FL 33470 .