Ernest Joseph Karch, Sr., 95, Laramie, died Wednesday, December 21, 2016 at Laramie Care Center, Laramie, Wyoming.
He was born October 30, 1921 in Kooi, Wyoming, the son of Josef Anton Karch and Karolina Bronizława Waszut of Istebna, Poland. Ernest was brought up on a farm above an oxbow in the Tongue River in Sheridan County, Wyoming. He attended elementary school in Monarch, Wyoming.
Ernest and Margaret Jean Hutchison were married in Casper, Wyoming on July 18, 1953.
Graduating from Sheridan High School in 1938, then enlisting in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) at age 16, Ernest drove logging trucks and helped build dams, lookout towers, and campgrounds in northern Wyoming. On winning a scholarship to the University of Wyoming in 1940, Ernest enrolled in the mechanical engineering program; in 1943 Karch was commissioned ensign in the United States Navy. He entered the flight program, flying transport aircraft and patrol bombers in the Pacific theater. When World War II ended, he made the Navy his career, attending Naval Intelligence School and subsequently language school at the Defense Language Institute, Monterey, California. Ernest served as an aviator, intelligence officer, and official translator in both Russian and German languages until his retirement at the rank of lieutenant commander in July 1964. Over the course of his service, Karch was stationed in California; Texas; Georgia; Florida; Panama; Hawaii; Heidelberg; Berlin; Rhode Island; Virginia; Washington, D.C.; Keflavik, Iceland; and Reykjavik, Iceland. Military decorations include the American Theater ribbon, Pacific Theater ribbon, World War II Victory ribbon, Navy Occupation Korean Service ribbon, and the National Defense ribbon.
In 1961, Karch earned a bachelor of science in military history at the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland. After retiring from military service, he won his master of education in secondary education; in 1971, Ernest achieved the educational specialist degree in curriculum and instruction, University of Wyoming. Ernest’s career as an instructor of social studies in Albany County School District #1 concluded upon his retirement in 1980.
Karch was a keen outdoor sportsman who shared a love of adventure with his grandchildren, teaching them fishing, riflery, orienteering, and pyrotechnics. Into his eighties, Ernest enjoyed taking the grandchildren and his dogs on camping and hiking trips. He was an instructor in the AARP Fifty-Five Alive Driver Safety Course, and he taught his grandsons to drive responsibly at early ages. Ernest was a lifelong student of military history and a devotee of both classical and modern poetry; Karch was also a skilled amateur photographer.
Karch was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Kappa Delta Pi, the American Legion, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was an honorary life member of the Knights of Columbus and was a member of Toastmasters International. In 1963, Karch was the winner of an international Toastmasters speaking championship. Ernest’s other awards include the Valley Forge Freedoms Foundation Award, conferred in 1973.
Ernest was preceded in death by his parents and by his sister Helen Bernice Stefanski, granddaughter Elizabeth Powers Karch, wife Margaret Jean Karch, and son Ernest Joseph Karch, Jr. He is survived by his children David Ruddell Karch, Las Vegas, Nevada; Marian Karch Stordahl, Laramie, Wyoming; John Charles Karch, Lebanon, Missouri; and Katharine Olga Pollitt, Warner Robins, Georgia. Grandchildren are Kathi Karch Torres, Krista Karch, Aaron Christopher Svare, Geoffrey James Stordahl, Jason Michael Svare, Franziska Gabriele Karch, and Thomas Nelson Karch. Great-grandchildren are Tiffany Karch, Ryan Taylor, Paige Torres, and Aidin Carter Svare. Great-great grandchildren are Wyatt Stoops and Valarie Stoops.
Funeral liturgy is slated for 10:00 on Saturday, January 7, 2017, St. Paul’s Newman Center, Laramie; Rev. Robert Spaulding will preside. Interment will be in Greenhill Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wyoming.
Kathy, Think of you and your Mom often over the years. So sorry to hear about your Dad Kathleen Johnson Baker Bay St Louis, Ms
Marian, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your extended family as you grieve the passing of your father.
Dear Marion and John, Bill and I are so sorry to learn of the loss of your father. I remember you both so fondly from my Laramie days. John, I had no idea that you were in Lebanon MO. Bill Stacy and I now live just north of Springfield MO and we both work at Missouri State. We'd love to see you again. Until then, please accept our thoughts and prayers for you and your families. Julie Combs and Bill Stacy
Thanks Marian, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this hard time. Your Dad was my 9th grade civics teacher he was always fair and kind to me, he will be missed.
I always have considered Mr. Karch the best teacher I ever had. Mr Kartch had a gift of making me feel like he was communicating with me as a peer, never condescending- the way he talked elevated me to a higher level. Ernest really was a master of communicating. I was very impressed with his intellect: Ideas he taught regarding the nature of power have remained at the forefront of my mind for many years. I feel truly lucky to have had Mr. Karch as a teacher.
Mr. Karch was a great teacher who fostered excellence and inspired his students. He also made us laugh, as when he wrote on the board before a student assembly, "Don't whistle, only dumb yokels whistle." My condolences to the Karch family.
I taught with Ernie for many years until he retired. I always loved to hear his many stories. I also worked and knew Jean. They both were a remarkable couple.. May they rest in peace.
Mr. Karch was my 9th-grade Civics teacher. I learned much from the man. I wish I had known more about him, or that I had been a bit more mature and could appreciate all he did for his students and his country. The students of Laramie Jr. High really were blessed with fine teachers. My condolences to Marian and the other Karch family members.
Dad was a cool dude. I have so many great memories of growing up in Wyoming. We hunted, fished, picnicked, camped, wandered the mountains and would just "go for a drive" exploring the area many evenings after supper. Dad is the reason we have a deep love and respect for Wyoming. He was a true outdoors-man and never missed an opportunity, even well into his eighties, to go to the mountains. He let us shoot rifles and pistols... whenever we asked he would take us out to the prairie and we would plink at cans and targets (can't do that these days). That is how we were taught about gun safety. He let us play with fire, ride bikes with no helmets, drive before we were legally old enough, ride motorcycles in the hills behind the house and stay out past dark. He made amazing milkshakes. He didn't even spank me when I set off a flare in the house and burned up the tile floor. He let my brothers work on their motorcycles in the basement. When the grandsons came he REALLY decided to have some fun! Dad ADORED his grandchildren and spoiled them in every way his easy going heart could imagine. When I remember growing up, I smile. Thanks Dad.