Karl Bartels

Karl F. Bartels passed away peacefully on January 13, 2017 at the age of 95. Karl was born to German parents, Karl R. and Erna Bartels. He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Mary Lou, and their children, David (Suzie) Bartels and Janet (Tony) Chamness, one granddaughter, Lauren Bartels and her fiancé Vince Gutierrez. Karl is also survived by a brother and two sisters: Bernhard (Lois) Bartels, Erna Pritchett. and Helene Morgan, and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Deceased are sisters Rosaline Bartels, Sonja McKemie, and Linda Hardwicke.\r\n \r\nThe Bartels family moved to Taft in 1929, and all children graduated from Taft High School. Karl graduated in 1938 and attended the University of Texas for 4 years. graduating in 1942 with a B.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked for 2 years at a defense plant in Houston making radar equipment for the Navy.\r\n \r\nHe enlisted in the U.S. Navy in April, 1944, as an Ensign. Karl served as C.I.C. (radar) officer on the USS Lacerta. The ship was sent to the Pacific Theatre and participated in the invasion of Okinawa on April, 1, 1945. In August, Karl was flown to Pearl Harbor to get special training for the planned invasion of mainland Japan. The very next day Japan surrendered. Karl was then assigned to the USS Quick. The ship did minesweeping at Pusan, Korea, visited Sasebo and Nagasaki, Japan, and Shanghai, China, then returned to San Francisco in April, 1946. He was honorably discharged in 1953 as a Lieutenant (j.g.).\r\n \r\nKarl was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church, having served as elder and deacon at several churches. He was active in the choir and active with committees at most of these churches. He helped to organize and build the First Presbyterian Church in Portland, Texas. He led a faithful life as a follower of Christ.\r\n \r\nKarl was a senior engineer with the Reynolds Metals Aluminum Reduction Plant located near Corpus Christi, Texas and in Richmond, Virginia for 32 years until his retirement. His family lived in Portland since 1958. He served on the Portland City Council and on the Board of Directors for Security Service Credit Union, serving as Chairman for a time. He enjoyed doing income tax returns for people under the sponsorship of AARP.\r\n \r\nKarl planned many of the Bartels Family reunions that have been held annually for 57 years. At these reunions he got to enjoy his 22 nieces and nephews.\r\n \r\nKarl and Mary Lou enjoyed traveling and going on cruises, having made perhaps 24 cruises since retirement. In May, 2013 they retired to Kerrville, Texas.\r\n \r\nA memorial service is planned at 11:00 a.m. on January 28th at the Vicksburg Village Clubhouse, 1300 Degrasse, Kerrville, Texas (corner of Yorktown and Degrasse).