Glen Karle died June 15, 2008 in Guangdong Province, China.
Glen worked as an engineer, and was establishing/over seeing the construction of a new factory for an Italian firm. Glen traveled all over the worldpursuing his career and was well regarded in his field. Though in good health otherwise, he suffered a fatal heart attack while eating out at a restaurant.
An avid mountain climber in later years, he had scaled a number of European peaks. His friends and relatives will miss him.
Glen's funeral took place on Saturday, September 13, 2008 at the Saint James Chapel at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in NYC. After the service he was interred there in the Columbarium next to his father. He was single at the time of his passing and had no children.
David Pott (also Class of 1977) and I were given special dispensation this was the second largest in size and influence Anglican cathedral in the world after all - to attend the service in Hawaiian shirts, a first no doubt in its 100 year history. The genuine article from Hawaii mind you, not the off-the-rack imitation shirts for $20 from the back of Baron's Drugs or Ted's Smoke Shop. The Hawaiian shirts were the uniform of the day way back when, when a bunch of us would jump in cars and make a midnight run to Montreal or Boston, so we thought Glen would approve of our sporting them in tribute.
After a dinner reception, a group of ex and current Westfielders went on a pub crawl that ended up at The White Horse Tavern, a favorite in days gone by. At closing time someone made the final toast, which I thought was nicely understated and not sloppily sentimental - " to absent friends" - thus leaving everyone to their own thoughts about current and past loved ones.
-Mike Gordeuk
Thanks to Mike for providing this wonderful tribute to Glen.