SBU loses long-time housekeeper
Mike Vitron
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: News
Members of the St. Bonaventure community mourned the loss of William J. Karl, a devoted friend to and employee of the university for 31 years, Monday.
Karl, of 2619 Hinsdale Road in Olean, passed away while working in his position of housekeeper in Friedsam Memorial Library Monday morning around 8 a.m.
Karl was born May 31, 1947, in Olean and had been a member of the university's housekeeping staff since 1979. He worked in residence halls until a few years ago when he was moved to the library.
He enjoyed spending time with his two dogs, Sheba and Coco, gaming in Salamanca, going out for Chinese food and drinking coffee.
His colleagues will remember Karl for his big heart and ability to make anybody laugh.
"Bill is a one-of-a-kind-type of guy," Darcy Dwaileebe, head of housekeeping services, said. "He never had a bad word to say about anybody.
"He always had a smile on his face." I can tell you I truly loved the man.
Dwaileebe said Karl's jokes helped brighten up her days.
"I always could kid with Bill, he was always cracking jokes and kidding with me. I just counted on him to have a lot of humor."
Colleagues will also remember Karl's morning routine of making coffee for everyone.
"He made our coffee for us every morning," Dwaileebe said. "He would be at work before anybody else. We start at 6 a.m. I'd come it at (5:40 a.m.), he was there having a cup of coffee. He took a lot of pride in that. I'd say, 'we can always count on you, Bill, to have the coffee going in the morning.'"
Dwaileebe said things were not the same Tuesday morning without Karl.
"Nobody would touch (the coffee maker) this morning, nobody would even make it," she said. "Nobody wants to sit in his chair because he always sat in the same chair. It's not the same."
Karl is survived by his wife, Sharon.
The Salvation Army plans to host a memorial service for Karl Saturday, Feb. 20, at 4 p.m.
How Karl's colleagues will remember him:
"He loved being here everyday, he loved his job, he enjoyed life."
-Emily Johnson
"He was a quiet type of guy and had a heart of gold. Bill treated me like a son and a human being. He loved to laugh and tell me jokes all the time we were together."
-Mark Diaz
"Just about a week before he was taken from us, I had the opportunity to have coffee and conversation while he waited for his truck to be fixed ... We talked about Bona's, about how things were done so differently than they are today. And also about his family. I will always be grateful for that day because that was the first and unfortunately the last time I got to have a one-on -one conversation with him outside of the workplace."
-Judy Barton
"Bill was a very thoughtful, caring man. He greeted everyone with a smile."
-Kathy Spring
"He liked to tell jokes. He was a joker."
-Corinna McIntosh
"It's not the same, and it will be a long time before it is."
-Darcy Dwaileebe
See Arts and Life next week for a profile of Karl.
e-mail: vitronmj@sbu.edu
Karl, of 2619 Hinsdale Road in Olean, passed away while working in his position of housekeeper in Friedsam Memorial Library Monday morning around 8 a.m.
Karl was born May 31, 1947, in Olean and had been a member of the university's housekeeping staff since 1979. He worked in residence halls until a few years ago when he was moved to the library.
He enjoyed spending time with his two dogs, Sheba and Coco, gaming in Salamanca, going out for Chinese food and drinking coffee.
His colleagues will remember Karl for his big heart and ability to make anybody laugh.
"Bill is a one-of-a-kind-type of guy," Darcy Dwaileebe, head of housekeeping services, said. "He never had a bad word to say about anybody.
"He always had a smile on his face." I can tell you I truly loved the man.
Dwaileebe said Karl's jokes helped brighten up her days.
"I always could kid with Bill, he was always cracking jokes and kidding with me. I just counted on him to have a lot of humor."
Colleagues will also remember Karl's morning routine of making coffee for everyone.
"He made our coffee for us every morning," Dwaileebe said. "He would be at work before anybody else. We start at 6 a.m. I'd come it at (5:40 a.m.), he was there having a cup of coffee. He took a lot of pride in that. I'd say, 'we can always count on you, Bill, to have the coffee going in the morning.'"
Dwaileebe said things were not the same Tuesday morning without Karl.
"Nobody would touch (the coffee maker) this morning, nobody would even make it," she said. "Nobody wants to sit in his chair because he always sat in the same chair. It's not the same."
Karl is survived by his wife, Sharon.
The Salvation Army plans to host a memorial service for Karl Saturday, Feb. 20, at 4 p.m.
How Karl's colleagues will remember him:
"He loved being here everyday, he loved his job, he enjoyed life."
-Emily Johnson
"He was a quiet type of guy and had a heart of gold. Bill treated me like a son and a human being. He loved to laugh and tell me jokes all the time we were together."
-Mark Diaz
"Just about a week before he was taken from us, I had the opportunity to have coffee and conversation while he waited for his truck to be fixed ... We talked about Bona's, about how things were done so differently than they are today. And also about his family. I will always be grateful for that day because that was the first and unfortunately the last time I got to have a one-on -one conversation with him outside of the workplace."
-Judy Barton
"Bill was a very thoughtful, caring man. He greeted everyone with a smile."
-Kathy Spring
"He liked to tell jokes. He was a joker."
-Corinna McIntosh
"It's not the same, and it will be a long time before it is."
-Darcy Dwaileebe
See Arts and Life next week for a profile of Karl.
e-mail: vitronmj@sbu.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Bona's Student
posted 2/05/10 @ 12:12 AM EST
He will definitely be missed. Everyone at Bonaventure appreciates all that he did for us.
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