Glen Karow

Karow, Glen MADISON -Glen Karow left this earthly home and joined his wife, Rose, on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014. Glen was born March 30, 1916, in Grand Marsh, Wisconsin and spent his early years in Cable and Washburn, Wisc. Around 1930 the family moved to the DeForest area and shortly thereafter Glen began attending the newly-formed Madison Gospel Tabernacle where he gave his life to Christ under the ministry of Rev. W.H. Sproule. He met his future wife there where they were both involved in the music ministry. On April 4, 1941, they were married after a choir rehearsal. From their love, four children were born, who were raised and involved in the church. Glen worked as a machinist and crane operator at Gisholt Machine Company for 31 years, 8 months and 9 days (but who’s counting?). For many years the family also had a cottage industry of making and selling cement lawn ornaments at their home on Highway 51 by Token Creek Park. When Gisholt closed in 1971, Glen moved into a second career of building houses and churches around southern Wisconsin. In 1974 he had heart bypass surgery and, as part of his recovery, he began a walking regimen and eventually worked up to walking many miles every week bringing home all sorts of “treasures” he found along the road, much to the “delight” of his family. While frugal to the end, he did splurge in the 1970s on the purchase of a kit for building a one-man helicopter. Having experience with blueprints from working at Gisholt, he assembled this helicopter and was told by the FAA inspector who came to check his work that he had done a better job on the assembly than anybody else that he’d seen. Glen was able to do one tethered lift-off with it. His heart surgery came shortly after that accomplishment, so he was unable to make the flights of which he had dreamed. Glen was a wonderful father, grandfather and “Grandpa/Papa Great”. He is survived by his children, Eileen (Doug) Smiley of Pella, Iowa, Rick Karow of Madison, Ron (Deb) Karow of Cottage Grove, and Julie (Ron) Dobie of Stoughton; eight grandchildren, Stephen (Lisa) Smiley, Elizabeth (Dan) Taylor, Scott (Ann) Karow, Jeff (Jodie) Karow, Heather (Bob) Morris, Allison(Adam) Berryman, Michael (Abby) Dobie and Bethany Dobie; and 12 great-grandchildren, Alexandria, Nicholas and Victoria Smiley, Jordan, Jonathan, Jaelyn, Chase and Nicolas Karow, Toby and Joshua Morris, Genevieve Berryman and Eleanor Dobie. Glen was preceded in death by his wife, Rose, in 2005; his parents, George and Ida Karow; and all of his siblings, Clarence, Earl, George, Dorothy Geary, Harriet Case, Gertrude Potter, Ida Brenning, Fred, Victor, John and Bill. Funeral Services will be at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL HOME, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, with Pastor Greg Pechacek presiding. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014 from 5 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home on Thursday Special thanks to his son, Rick, for making it possible for him to stay in his home until his last week. Also, the family wishes to thank the staff of 7th floor Southwest at St. Mary’s Hospital for their kind, compassionate care for Glen and his family.