Armand M. Karow

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Armand M. Karow, Ph.D., died at his residence on Tuesday, February 6, 2007, following a courageous battle with cancer. Dr. Karow was the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Xytex International, Ltd. Funeral services will be held Friday, February 9, 2007 at 10:00 AM at Trinity on the Hill United Methodist Church with The Reverend Dr. Stephen Dodson and The Reverend Greg Hatfield officiating. Interment will be at Westover Memorial Park. The family will receive friends Thursday evening from 7:00 - 9:00 PM at Elliott Sons Funeral Home, 1134 Telfair Street, Augusta, Georgia. Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Ramona McClelland Karow, Augusta, GA.; two sons; Christopher Armand Karow (Catherine), Knoxville, TN; Jonathan Carter Karow, North Augusta, S. C.; one, sister, Martha Louise Taylor, Jackson, MS and numerous nieces and nephews. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Dr. Karow graduated from Duke University and earned a doctorate in Pharmacology from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He joined the faculty of the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) in 1968 in the Schools of Medicine and Graduate Studies. When he retired in 1997, he was Professor of Pharmacology and Research Associate Professor of Surgery and was given the title of Professor Emeritus. Working with Roy Witherington, M.D., Dr. Karow established at MCG the first clinical sperm bank in the southeast. In 1975 the sperm bank became a private enterprise named Xytex Corporation, Inc., which evolved under Dr. Karow's direction to become Xytex International, Ltd., a global leader in assisted reproduction that includes a sperm bank, egg donor program and long-term medical tissue storage. During his years at MCG, Dr. Karow was extensively involved in research in addition to teaching and administration. The results of his research on cryopreservation (freezing) of transplantable cells, tissues and organs were published in more than 100 professional journal articles. He co-edited several books on tissue preservation including, Reproductive Tissue Banking, published in 1997 by Academic Press. Dr. Karow served as Fogarty Senior International Fellow at the National Institutes of Health in 1981 and as a Fellow of National Endowment for Humanities in 1980. He received the Distinguished Faculty Award from the Medical College of Georgia in 1983 and the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Kentucky, School of Health Sciences Professions in 2002. Professionally, his memberships were numerous and include the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, American Association for Tissue Banks, European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology, Society for Cryobiology, Society of the Sigma Xi, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was a past member of the state board of directors of the American Heart Association and past president of the Richmond County affiliate. In the community, he was an active member of Trinity on the Hill United Methodist Church and The Kiwanis Club of Augusta. He served on the board of directors of Interfaith Hospitality Network of Augusta from 1999 until his illness. For many years, he was involved with the CSRA Science Fair and later supported the National Science Center in Augusta through their mentoring program. As a member of the Military Order of the World Wars, he served on the faculty of the Augusta Youth Leadership Conference for a number of years. Pallbearers will be Charles Lanier, Dr. John Black, Gary Thigpen, Daniel Silliman, Kevin O'Brien, and Jon Moss Blundell. Honorary pallbearers will be the staff and officers of Xytex International, Ltd. If so desired, memorial contributions may be made to Trinity on the Hill United Methodist Church, 1330 Monte Sano Avenue, Augusta, Georgia 30904.