Karl Spingarn

KARL SPINGARN
FEB 19, 1935 - MARCH 31, 2021

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Karl Spingarn, our loving and devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, grand-uncle, great-grand-uncle, and friend to all whose lives he touched. Karl passed away on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 in Hermosa Beach, California, at the age of 86.

Born in Breslau, Germany, his family fled the Nazis when he was four years old, and he grew up in Brockport, New York. Karl graduated from Brockport High School in 1953 as Valedictorian of his class, and then in 1957 from Syracuse University, Magna Cum Laude.

In 1960, Karl married the love of his life, Maxine (Waksman) and they moved to Pennsylvania, where he completed his PhD in 1963 from the University of Pittsburgh.
In co-operation with the U.S. Agency for International Development, the National Academy of Science, and the University of Pittsburgh, Karl and Maxine went to Valparaiso, Chile, where Karl established and taught graduate engineering classes at two universities in Valparaiso.

They subsequently moved to Hermosa Beach, California, where Karl worked for many years as Chief Scientist at Raytheon (formerly Hughes Aircraft) in Los Angeles. In addition, he was a consultant, lecturer, and author, who published more than sixty scientific articles, including graduate engineering textbooks that are in use in universities throughout the country.

In addition to his wife of sixty-one years, Karl is survived by his daughter, Lisa Daniel ( Michael Schwallie); two sisters, Eva Sider and Ruth Lebowitz; nieces Laurie Zdankowski and Hillary Dummer; grandnieces Jenny (Brian) Beattie, Sarah(Jon) Bartlett, and Rachel Sider; and one great-grand niece, Olivia Bartlett.

Karl was a man of integrity who built a life far wider than he could ever have imagined. We will miss him.