Obituary: William Karl

May 21, 1952 – November 18, 2024

William “Bill” Martin Karl passed away in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. A longtime resident of Vail, he loved Colorado, its natural beauty and recreational opportunities. 

Born and raised in New Canaan, Connecticut, to John Bligh Karl and Leila Crossland Karl, Bill graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelors of Arts degree. As a youth in the 60s, he took up skiing and attended Woodstock. 

When his parents relocated to Arizona, the lure of the mountains led him to Vail in the 70s. He worked as a construction painter, skied, and in the off season, took up windsurfing. He also practiced Qigong and enjoyed his huge music collection. He was a photographer and his cameras and photos were his prized possessions.

A conversationalist, Bill always kept in touch with family and friends by phone, but rarely went East. Instead, he gathered a network of friends and neighbors, who got together for holidays and special occasions. He lived in Vail until the summer of 2024, when he became ill.

He is predeceased by his father John Bligh Karl, his mother Leila Crossland Karl Denny, his brother Edward John Karl, and many beloved aunts and uncles. Bill is also survived by a neice Christina Marinoff of Hermitage, PA, and many cousins and friends in Vail, and around the world.

Think of Bill in the mountains and the Valley, where he will remain in Vail.