Michael R. Karp, 70, of Paradox passed peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family. Throughout his cancer treatment, he remained creative, energetic, caring, and inspirational. Michael was born in Evanston, Illinois and attended the University of Chicago and ultimately graduated from Evergreen College in Washington State. Along the way, he traveled to Mexico, Central America, South America, and floated down the Amazon in a dugout canoe. While working with challenged teens at a residential community in the Adirondack Mountains, he found that living in Paradox gave him solace and adventure and he easily convinced his wife to settle down and build a home where a double rainbow had blessed their marriage. Building a home in Paradox allowed him to explore and embrace his deep love of wilderness and to raise his children close to nature. While working and raising a family, he received a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Vermont and later became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. In the field of human services, he worked tirelessly and with a deep commitment to help people in need of support. Michael had a gift for establishing rapport with children and adults with disabilities. He was dedicated to helping children with autism be understood and valued. He had a unique ability to delight them with play while enhancing their ability to learn and grow. Michael envisioned a community of acceptance for all people. Michael was an avid reader who loved to play chess, cross-country ski, fly kites, create gigantic bubbles, bounce superballs, sail with friends, solve any problem, cook pancakes or waffles for his children, and marvel at the paternal devotion of penguins. He was our “Trail Boss” in the woods when we camped and our guide in reaching the mountaintops when we hiked. Michael’s love of life was as evident in his appreciation of the dance of a woodcock and the migration of monarch butterflies as it was in viewing the most recent photographs of the universe from the Webb telescope and the smiles of his precious grandchildren. He will be deeply missed by his family, his friends, and by those whose lives he touched.
Michael is survived by his wife, Lois Glenn-Karp; by his son Jesse (Erica) and his grandson, Oren Mica, and by his daughter, Lianna (Ben) and his grandson, Julian Orion. He is also survived by his sister, Annie Cox, her children and grandchildren and by his sister-in-law, Arlene Glenn. He was predeceased by his sister, Diane Karp, who inspired his compassion for people in need.
A service/gathering to honor Michael will be planned to take place in the summer.
Donations in his name may be sent to Zeno Mountain Farm in Lincoln, Vermont: 950 Zeno Rd Lincoln, VT 05443 or zenomountainfarm.org
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