Charles I. Karnitis

Charles is survived by his wife of 63 years, Eve, their son Joseph (Sue), daughter Catherine, brother George (Etsuko), grandchildren Samantha (Matt), Katherine (Tom), Alex (Lindsey), and Madelyn (Andrew), and great-grandchildren Sebastian, Alex, Sabine, Evelyn, Amelia, Lily, and Sean, and other relatives and friends.

The Karnitis family: Karlis, Anna (Ukass), Charles, and George, escaped the Russian Army when they left their hometown Riga, Latvia in 1944 during the Second World War. In 1945, they were placed in a refugee camp in the British zone of Germany, where they lived for the next six years. In September 1950, they emigrated to America, eventually living in Cleveland, Ohio.

Charles attended The Ohio State University and married his wife Eve in 1960. He worked as a mechanical designer for Columbus Heating and Ventilating for over 40 years. Additionally, he was Vice President and Financial Officer for Advanced Analytics Laboratory and helped manage rental properties.

Charles enjoyed playing sports in his youth and adulthood, especially tennis and ping pong, and was an avid Buckeye fan. Other hobbies and passions were playing chess and researching and collecting historical memorabilia, especially stamps. Perhaps because his father had managed the main store of a chocolate factory in Riga, he really loved chocolate. He always had a good joke to tell.

Beloved by family, friends, and community, Charles had a generous spirit and was always willing to lend a hand or go the extra mile. He will be greatly missed.

A memorial service will take place on Saturday, December 9th, 2023 at 11am followed by a reception until 1pm at SCHOEDINGER NORTHWEST on Zollinger Road and is open to family and friends. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Charles’ memory to the Parkinson’s Foundation or to a charity of your choice. To share memories or condolences, please visit www.schoedinger.com.