I was Dr. Karasek's first Graduate Student at the Univ. of Waterloo. He was an exceptional educator and a superb academic guide. I have gained much from him in the way of new and lasting knowledge. 
                                            Benoy B. Chowdhury, Ph.D.

Our deepest sympathies to the sons and their families of Francis Karasek. We lost one of our best friends , who was  a truly great, generous and honorable man and we were so sad to hear that he passed away. We came to know Frank in the spring of 1991 in the University Town of Marburg in Germany where he stayed to switch roles - which means : he became a student once more, was ready to learn German. So in this case I, who just finished my Masters Degree became his teacher and liked him immensely among all the young students in the course. I invited him home, and he got on immediately with my husband Harald who studied organic chemistry. We discovered that we shared a lot of interests -  science, history, languages, food, cars, newest technologies, books, Haegar the Terrible comics and much more and that we liked to talk to people of different generations. Being much older and wiser than us students he got on so well with all of us, actually we felt that he was one of us because he stayed young in his heart. We considered it a great honour to be represented to warmhearted, lovely, witty Irma, his wife, in the summer of 1991. Frank invited us to Arizona and we visited him first in 1993, sharing a memorable drive with him and Irma across the Arizona Desert to Las Vegas. We visited him several times in the last 20 years, last in August 2011,  and planned to see him again in 2014. We were happy that Frank and Irma visited us in Germany twice and that we could meet them, when they stayed in Austria in 2005. We were so sad to learn that he lost the love of his life, Irma, in 2012. Always happy to exchange views, humour, thoughts and more first via Fax then via email, somerimes via phone over the years we always stayed in touch. It was wonderful that he was interested in our kids as well and to honour him, we named our son Richard Francis. truly was was a great man and his memory stays, like Irma's, in our hearts. We will miss him very much.

Jutta and Harald Schuetz with daughter Lilian and son Richard Francis, Germany

I am one of the many friends of Professor Frank Karasek in Waterloo, ON, Canada. My wife and I have visited him and Mrs. Karasek in Arizona, and Frank reciprocated during one of his trips to Waterloo. We always admire the Karaseks for having brought up a houseful of  boys here. Even though we did not get to know the boys well, we have high regards for them at a distance. We want to express our love and appreciation to all members of Karaseks' extended family. your friendship is and will always be in our memory, dear Frank.

On behalf of the faculty and students of both the Universities of Waterloo and Guelph, we send our heartfelt condolences to the family of Professor Karasek. 

Guy Guillemette, Professor and Director of the Guelph Waterloo Centre for Graduate Work in Chemistry and Biochemistry. University of Waterloo

On behalf of the students, staff and faculty of the Chemistry Department at the University of Waterloo, we extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Professor Karasek. Our department is deeply saddened by the loss of such a marvelous scientist, colleague and friend. 
John Honek, Professor and Chair, Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo

My sincerest condolences to the Karasek family.  I had the good fortune to join Professor Karasek's research group as a graduate student at the University of Waterloo in the early 1980's.  Professor Karasek gave me the opportunity to study in the field of trace organic residue analysis and this has remained my professional passion over these many years.  More importantly I had the opportunity to study and interact with a very unique group of individuals who, upon reflection, subtly influenced my development many years ago.  Professor Karasek was a leading scientist, innovator, and a shrewd manager of his laboratory and students.  He taught his students many lessons, both scientific and personal.  I have many warm memories of those years at the U of W.  Professor Karasek will be sadly missed by those who were fortunate enough to have crossed paths with him.

Frank was my Ph.D. advisor, friend, and mentor. I heard he was ill and was planning to phone him until I heard the sad news. He was a visionary in the analytical chemistry field - far ahead of his time. He supported technologies far before they became popular, and never received the recognition he deserved, although he really didn't work for that.

I am now working hard to organize the EnviroAnalysis conference (www.enviroanalysis2013.ca), at which we give up to three Karasek Award prizes for the best student posters. The award is sponsored by Wellington Laboratories, and I am hopeful we can keep the conference going for many years, and to keep the Karasek name alive as one of Canada's luminaries in the analytical chemistry field. This year we have organized a special session to honour a colleague who recently died too soon, and I hope to do something similar for Frank next year (I think our next meeting will be in Alberta, Canada in September, 2014). Please contact me at (ray.clement@bell.net) to find out more.

One of the times I will always remember about Frank was when we travelled to Toronto from Waterloo to present results from my Ph.D. research to our funding agency (Ontario Ministry of the Environment). Everything went well and just as we were ready to leave he made a side trip to a flower store to buy flowers for Irma. As someone who believed in "tough love" for his students, this showed me a side of Frank that I had not before seen.

I recently retired from the Ministry of the Environment after 30 years, and have had a wonderful career. Frank was directly responsible for recruiting me into graduate school and for mentoring me not only to be a scientist, but a professional who will always remember what a great man he was. I can never repay what he has done for me, and will remember him always with fondness.

My deepest sympathy and my sincere condolences to all in the Frank Karasek family.  May you take comfort in knowing that when I arrived in Waterloo, I shared a lab and a student with Frank.  At that time and in addition to the gift of his friendship, he also gave me sound advice and superb mentoring.   

After he left Waterloo, I always enjoyed his visits to Waterloo and our luncheons, and for the last few years his thoughtful emails.  Frank was an amazing person and truly one of the best.  Frank will be missed.  May he rest in peace.  

Vassili Karanassios, PhD
Professor of Chemistry

To the Karasek Family:

My sincere sympathies to all.  Frank was one of the first professors I worked for when I joined UW and we became instant friends.  I shall cherish our friendship always and will remember him with love in my heart, tears in my eyes but always with a smile on my face.  He was one of the best!  

Sincerely,

Janice Campbell
Dept. of Chemsitry
University of Waterloo

OBITUARY

Francis W Karasek

December 11, 1919 – August 10, 2013

Valley of the Sun Mortuary & Cemetery

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