Karl Ehrmann

Karl Ehrmann was a hardworking man, a tough man with a tender heart, who toiled each and every day to provide for his family. He was a “my way or the highway,” kind of man, who drove a dozer for an asphalt company. Yet the road Karl cared most about, was the one that led him home. More than anything, he was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend, who loved his family most of all.

Karl’s story began on a cool fall day in 1939, in the bustling city of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Those were such anxious times in this country, which looked on as the world went to war, and Nazi Germany raged across Europe. Yet even in those dark days, Karl and Bertha Ehrmann found reason to celebrate, with the birth of a baby boy, a son they named Karl Joseph Jr., after his father.

Karl Jr. was joined by his older sister Ann Marie, and little siblings Catherine, Manfried and Carla, on the family homestead in the little town of Galesburg. Karl learned his impressive work ethic from toiling long days on his father’s farm, when he wasn’t attending Galesburg Schools. He started out going to a little country farm house school, before Galesburg High School, where the strapping young Karl played on the football team.

Like so many young men in those days, Karl didn’t finish high school, leaving instead to help around the home. He and his dad were always close, and not only because of his dad’s homemade wine! Yet as hard as he worked, Karl played even harder as a young man. He was what you’d consider a “wild man,” who certainly knew how to have a good time.

Eventually, Karl went to work at Asphalt Improvement Company, as part of the paving crew. Karl ran the bulldozer, excavating the earth with expert precision. It was a very manual job, more art than science, and Karl was a master at making level ground with nothing more than the dozer blade.

Of course, Karl was far from all work and no play. He had plenty of friends, including a man named Chuck Holly. One day Karl was visiting Chuck, when up walked this beautiful young woman, and Karl was stunned. “Who is that?!” he asked Chuck. “I need to know her!” As it turned out, the pretty girl’s name was Lillian Holly, and she was Chuck’s sister.

Karl was lovestruck, and wasn’t shy about telling Lillian how he felt about her. In fact, he asked her to marry him several times. Eventually, he wore her down, and his persistence paid off, when she finally said “yes!” So Karl and his lovely Lillian were married in 1966, beginning many wonderful years together.

It wasn’t long before the new husband and wife became father and mother, too, and the couple was blessed with three terrific sons in the coming years, Kevin, Steven and Mike. Karl worked tirelessly to provide for his growing family, and never, ever missed a day of work. In fact, he accumulated quite a stockpile of extra vacation days thanks to his never-ending work ethic. He worked for the asphalt company for 21 dedicated years.

Karl also devoted two years to building the family a beautiful new home on his family’s homestead in Comstock, and it was such a special day when they moved in that summer in 1978. It was a wonderful home, where they formed so many great memories, and where Karl would live the rest of his days.

Karl was always working, even when he wasn’t at work. He loved to tinker around the house, and always had a project going on something. Of course, with three sons in the house, the most common phrase they heard was “Hey, where’s all my stuff?”

Despite being a reformed “wild man,” Karl still had his fun with the fellas, too. He had a few close friends from work, and a few other friends he talked to regularly. He also bowled quite often, usually at Continental and Eastland Lanes. He loved to bowl, but loved complaining about his score even more! He also enjoyed following NASCAR, and seldom missed a race on TV.

Karl never missed a meal, either, and loved to eat. He was a decidedly one-course kind of guy, the kind of man who mixed his food all together, salad on top of the main dish, then mixed all around, like a bulldozer had been across his plate. That’s just the way he was, though, and nobody was going to change him, that’s for sure. His way or the highway, remember.

In 1995, Karl’s beautiful bride Lillian sadly died, which he took very hard. She was the love of his life, and he didn’t know what to do without her. He tried participating in the widow and widowers groups, but he missed her still.

Karl joined his beloved Lillian on Wednesday, July 11, 2007, at Borgess Medical Center, at the age of 67.

Karl was a hardworking man, who devoted his life to providing for his wife and children. He was a tough man, a man of strong opinions and convictions, yet also a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. Today his legacy lives on; in the family he loved most of all. He will be greatly missed.

Learn more about Karl, view his Life Story Film and visit with his family and friends on Sunday from 6:00-8:00 PM at the Life Story Funeral Homes Betzler-Kalamazoo 6080 Stadium Drive, 375-2900, where a service to celebrate his life will be held Monday at 11:00 AM. Interment Maple Grove Cemetery, Comstock. Karl was preceded in death by his wife, Lillian May Ehrmann in 1995; and his siblings: Catherine, Manfried, and Carla. Members of his family include three sons: Kevin Ehrmann of Portage, Steven (Loretta) Ehrmann of Kalamazoo and Mike Ehrmann of Comstock; eight grandchildren: Nikki, Jaime, PJ, Paige, Jordan, Joshua, Jessica, and Dominick; his sister, Ann Marie (Richard) Hiemstra of Delton; and nephews. Please visit Karl’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can share a memory or photo, sign his memory book online or make a memorial contribution to the Kalamazoo Valley Family Church.