IN MEMORY

KARL WILLARD MACK
( 1922-2000 )

Loving Husband, Father,
Grandfather and Great-Grandfather

Karl & Flo
Early 1940's

In Loving Memory

KARL W. MACK
November 21, 2000

God saw you getting tired
and a cure was not to be;
So he put his arms around you
and he whispered "Come to Me".
With tearful eyes we watched you,
And saw you pass away.
Although we loved you dearly,
We could not make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating.
Hard working hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us
he only takes the best.
(written on back of prayer card)

EULOGY FOR KARL MACK (BY NICK TOLLA JR.)

My  Grandpa.

Where do I start and could I ever finish?  Probably not.  

       I could talk about Grandpas’ love for the family.  But we have all felt and seen that day by day.  From the parties he planned, to the very personal gifts he has given, both in material and word, this has never been a subject in question when it comes to Grandpa.   We have all felt his love, and I only wish that this world could better embrace his desire to make all those that you care for,  become a much more personal part of your lives.  I think that my father, Nick, summed it up best when he said at a family gathering:  “In family, there are no such things as in-laws.”  We are all family, and Grandpa loved every one of you as if his blood was in your very own veins.
      I could talk about personal strength, and Grandpa showed this more often than anybody should ever have to show it.  If you think back on the last 15 years, and the amount of times a lesser person would have given in to a   forever failing body, you can’t  help but be amazed.  Amazed at this mans will to survive.  And what fueled that will?  Family.    His wife, his children, his grandchildren, and most recently, his three great-grandchildren: Amanda, Timmy & Trevor.   The last time that we saw a smile on Grandpas’ face, was when he held Trevors’ hand in the hospital the night before he passed away.
      I could talk about how Grandpa was a true rennasaince man.   Who do any of you know that had more interests, and excelled in every one of them.  If there was a topic that peeked his curiosity, Grandpa read about it, and read about it, and then read some more.  Be it The Titanic, Steam Engines, Coal Mining or Fordson Tractors.  If he wanted to, he had the knowledge to write his own book on any of his interests.
      I could talk about his love of music.  We had our very own Merle Travis here in the Mack Family.    And he passed this love on to most, if not all of us.  This happens to be a very special trait to me, because I have spent countless hours listening to Grandpa playing his own, and his idols music for me.  He gave me my first two guitars  which I still have.  And even thought I will probably never be able to have as natural an ability with the instrument as Grandpa did.  He has been the one that has kept me trying.  Uncle Ed, Uncle Ron, My sister Sheri, and Cousin Sean have also gained the Karl Mack musical gene, and Grandpas’ interest will live on through our attempts to be one with the notes as he always was.  And I have a very strong feeling that Brother Dave, (remember, no in-laws in this family), will take this role upon himself to keep the music alive.
      There are so many other qualities that I can go into, so many other traits that we have respected and have tried to emulate to the best of our abilities.  So I guess the best way to describe Grandpa, is to say that he was our teacher.   What I have just talked about, and all of the things I haven’t, were the things that Grandpa wanted all of us to know.  He lived a life that showed that this way of living worked.   That not only, as a result, could you be happy with those around you, but more importantly, you can be happy with yourself.  He showed us that you don’t have to be a millionaire to be happy, the value of existence is in the quality of the family that you have.    And our Patriarch has produced the highest quality family that has ever existed.  We all have Grandpas’ love, varied interests, ability to care, and potential to continue passing along the values that he held so dear.  Just look at my Mom, Carole, Aunt Connie, Uncle Bill, Uncle Karl, or Ed as we all know him, and Uncle Ron.  The most well balanced and loving people you ever will know.  And let us not forget that Grandma now holds the Mack Family torch.  She will, per Grandpas’ wishes, lead us down the path that he cleared.  A path that leads straight to eternal happiness, and yet another family reunion.  Though not a reunion on this earth.  Instead, one next to Grandpa in Heaven.

 Thank you for listening.

I love you Grandpa.

 
Pop-pop and David napping, 1991,    The Mack Clan and their Patriarch, Sept 4, 1999  &  Nicky and Grandpa 1992

OBITUARY
As Printed In Journal News 11/23/00

KARL WILLARD MACK, 78
Retired Chief Engineer

 Karl Willard Mack, a retired plant engineer at Pace University, and a 48 year resident of Port Chester, NY died Tuesday, November 21, 2000 at his home.  He was 78 years old.

 Mr. Mack was born June 7, 1922 in Lake Winola, PA to William and Ida Mae Mack.
He was raised and educated in the Scranton, PA area and graduated from Benton High School in Fleetsville, PA.

 He worked at Crucible Steel, in Harrison, NJ during WWII where he met and married his wife of 55 years, Florence Kopicki Mack on January 28, 1945.

 Mr. Mack moved his family to Port Chester in 1951 and was employed as a Maintenance Supervisor at the Sonotone Corp. for 12 years. He then became the Maintenance Superintendent of Empire Brushes for 15 years.  He retired from Pace University in 1985 after 6 years as Chief Engineer.

 He devoted his life to his   family, sharing with them his love of music, books, and his creative spirit.  He was a member of the Titanic Society. 

 He is survived by his wife, Florence of Peekskill, 3 sons, William of Cincinnati, OH, Karl Edward of Buffalo, NY,   and Ronald Francis of Mohegan Lake, NY; 2 daughters, Carole Tolla of Yorktown, NY and Connie Kelly of Pleasanton, CA,  8 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

 Two sisters, Margaret Marcy and Dorothy Barris and one brother, Paul Mack, predeceased him.

 Clark Funeral Home in Yorktown Heights is handling the arrangements.  Visiting hours are 2 to 4pm and 7 to 9pm on Friday, November 24 and a memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, November 25 at The Elks Club in Yorktown Heights at 12pm.

 In Lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in his name to Hospice Care of Westchester & Putnam,  100 South Bedford Road,  Mount Kisco, NY   10549

THIS OLD DOG
(WRITTEN AND E-MAILED TO THE WHOLE FAMILY FROM DAD ON 3/8/97)

THIS OLD DOG IS NOT ASLEEP BUT HE IS LAYING OUT FLAT- LIKE WITH ONE EYE OPEN AND THE OTHER SHUT.  WHAT IS HE THINKING ABOUT???  WELL, ALL THIS TOO DO ABOUT CLONING AND THEN THE NEWS ABOUT THE FUEL CELL DEVELOPMENT BY CHRYSLER TO REPLACE THE CURRENT GAS ENGINES IN AUTOS AND THEN THE STORY THAT THE POPULATION WILL DOUBLE IN THE NEXT 50 YEARS-----GOOD TIMES AHEAD?---BAD TIMES AHEAD?-----WELL NOW, DOES THIS OLD DOG REGRET THAT HE WILL NOT BE AROUND TO SEE ALL THIS HAPPEN?  NAW..NO WAY!   

I HAVE PASSED THROUGH THE HORSE AND BUGGY DAYS TO THE MODEL T FORD AND DOZENS OF OTHER MAKES, AND MODELS INCLUDING THE STANLEY STEAMER---AND THEN  THE DEMISE OF THE STEAM OCEAN LINERS--STEAM LOCOMOTIVES AND OTHER STEAM DRIVEN MACHINERY ON FARMS---IN FACTORIES, ON HIGHWAYS AND THEN THE STRUGGLE FOR RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AND ON TO ATOMIC ENERGY PLANTS---WELL, WE COULD GO ON AND ON ---LIKE THE DEPRESSION--SEVERAL WARS---THE MUSIC SCENE---HEM LINES, BIKINIS---RADIO, TELEVISION, COMPUTERS---VACUUM TUBES AND MICRO CHIPS---AND THEN THE MOON AND OUTER SPACE.....OH YES.....ADVANCES IN MEDICINE AND HEART OPERATIONS-----------

NOW, TO GO FROM A HORSE AND BUGGY TO A ROCKET TO THE MOON,   FROM A MODEL T FORD WITH A HAND CRANK TO A FUEL CELL DRIVEN CAR WITH A COMPUTER ROAD MAP, TO RIDE A TRAIN THAT WILL GO 300MPH, TO EAT ARTIFICIAL FOOD MADE FROM SOY BEANS AND ALL THE OTHER CHANGES..IT WOULD BE TOO MUCH TO COPE WITH AT MY AGE OF 75....ADD ON 50 YEARS AND I WOULD BE 125 YEARS OLD!  NOW I KNOW THAT THE BIBLICAL ADAM LIVED TO BE 900 YEARS OLD------BUT HE DID NOT HAVE TO BE FACED WITH ALL OF THE ABOVE PLUS MINI SKIRTS AND BIKINIS TOO!!

THINK ABOUT IT!  A MAN CAN ONLY STAND SO MUCH---THEN HE TURNS INTO AN OLD DOG---WHO SLEEPS WITH ONE EYE OPEN AND THE OTHER EYE SHUT...

HAVE A GOOD DAY

LOVE, ADAM (DAD'S E-MAIL MONIKER)