Richard "Sam"

Karls

Richard Karls (88) suddenly left this world on November 4, 2026. Richard was born January 28,1938 to Alex and Theckla (Bruckner) Karls, the second of six brothers and later one sister. Richard attended St Peter and Paul Catholic School and later Kiel High School graduating with the Class of 1956. It was during high school that Richard was given the nickname “Sam”, a name he seemed to prefer and the only name by which most people knew him. Sam and all of his siblings grew up on the family farm east of Kiel. There he and his brothers helped his parents raise mainly mink but also fox, sheep, pigs, and various types of fowl including pheasants.

After high school, Sam spent several years in the Army National Guard before being discharged with a serious back injury. While on the farm, Sam took a keen interest in the mink business. He eventually developed his own mink stock separate from that of his parents. Even after the passing of his mother and the sale of the farm, Sam set up his own mink ranch and continued in that business for many years. He eventually sold his stock and for several years was employed part-time as maintenance worker for a company in Elkhart Lake.

Sam could fix most anything and he was particularly skilled working with wood and doing home restoration projects. He was often in demand by relatives and friends seeking help with any number of projects. Sam was an avid sports fan especially when it came to following the early Milwaukee Braves, later the Brewers, and certainly the Green Bay Packers. In his more active years, Sam played golf and had fun participating in local bean-bag tournaments. Sam's parties at the family cottage on Cedar Lake are legendary.

Sam's home is situated directly across the street from the Veterans Memorial on the Sheboygan River in Kiel. This gave Sam a perfect viewing site for the local Memorial Day Observance. A fond and lasting memory for his brother Dan will be traditionally getting together with Sam on his front porch on Memorial Day to participate in that solemn event.

Adding to the sorrow, Sam's younger brother Donald followed him in death just four days later on the morning of November 8. Sam is predeceased by his parents, brothers Alex Jr. (Geraldine) and William Karls, and sister Mary Sue (John) Lubeley. Sam never married and has no children. Sam will be missed by his brothers Thomas (Barbara) and Dan (Maree) Karls, sisters-in-law Sandy and Kathy Karls, as well as 15 nieces and nephews. Cremation has taken place. A private family celebration of life will be held at some later date.