Karin F. Sandvik

Karin Frank Sandvik July 13, 1931 – December 30, 2015 Karin Sandvik of Madison, WI, passed away on December 30 with her devoted son by her side. Karin has been many things throughout her diverse lifetime; she was a child of war, she was a university librarian, she was a champion of students, she was a champion of the environment, she was a champion of the human spirit. She was a mother. She was a grandmother. She was a student of the world. Karin was born in Washburn, Wisconsin, the daughter of Hermann and Johanna (von Rennenkampff) Frank. She was taken to Konigshorst, Germany at a young age and brought up on a dairy farm there. At the end of World War II, she returned to America to finish high school in Middleton, Wisconsin and then go on to the University of Wisconsin for a Bachelors and a Masters of Library Science. She shared her love of learning and of books with libraries at Kenyon College (Gambier, Ohio), the University of Kentucky (Lexington), and the University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse. She retired as the Collections Development Librarian at Murphy Library (UW-L) in 2001 and shortly after moved to Madison to be closer to her children and their families. She is survived by her children Martin (JoAnne) Sandvik and Christine (Steven) Johnston, as well as her grandsons Evan and Taylor Johnston. She is further survived by two sisters still in Germany as well as several cousins both in Germany and in California. She was preceded in death by her parents, her bother Juergen Frank and the father of her children, Trond Sandvik. While an undergraduate student in Madison, she and friends started an organization called Madison Friends of International Students. It is still in existence. This group allowed students with homes far away to have warm and inviting places to go for holidays and during school breaks. Karin met many international students through this who remained a part of her life forever. She also took this notion along with her as she moved and made international students feel welcome wherever she was. There are people on almost every continent who will remember her with smiles and fondness! Tinley Gyamtso was a special friend who was of tremendous help to Karin at the end of her life; we are eternally grateful to him. Karin always had a need to learn about the world and to explore it both through research and through visits. She took many trips with the Earthwatch Institute, as well as on her own, to discover the places she had always dreamed of. These included The Silk Road, St. Petersburg, Venice, Peru, Mallorca, France, Crete, Latvia and Ireland. She also travelled to Washington, D.C. to protest wars and to Baraboo to attend the Fighting Bob Fest. She could be found each Monday on the Capitol Square to vigil for peace and an end to bombing. Her fellow activists were all dear to her and Martin and Christine have many thanks for all of the support they gave to Karin, especially the unending support of Bob Radford. Karin's many co-workers and fellow students have remained in contact with her throughout her life. Vicki Olson was a graduate student with her in Kentucky and was a visitor throughout the years. Karen Lange, Randy Hoelzen and other Murphy Library staff came to Madison on a regular basis to share the most current events in LaCrosse with her; she welcomed them always. There will be no funeral services for Karin, but please share your stories with your family and hers. If you would like to remember Karin with a financial donation, please consider a donation to the University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse Foundation and ask that it be earmarked for the Karin Sandvik Reading Room at Murphy Library. Karin's children would like to thank the staff at both Azura Memory Care in Stoughton and the Hospice staff for all of their love and care; it was of tremendous comfort.