Ava Karber

Ava Karber Beloved Mother, Grandma, & Sis Ava Bertner Karber, 83, was reunited with her husband Merle and her son Michael on Friday, November 25, 2005. She passed away peacefully in her Phoenix home, surrounded by her family and the great love they shared with her. Because Ava's mother traveled to Texas solely for her birth, after 83 years of residing in Phoenix, she considered herself a native Arizonan even though she was born in Sherman, TX. Despite all of the challenges she faced throughout the past 3 years, Ava displayed an incredible resiliency that has been an inspiration to every one she came in contact with. Ava will be most remembered for her strength, compassion, sense of humor, and love for her family and friends. She truly enjoyed living. She loved singing and dancing. She competed in dance-athons. She loved the outdoors. She was always ready to go deer hunting with the guys, and camping, and fishing with her family and friends. She even once drove in a powder-puff derby. She loved to travel and she was proud to say she had been to 23 countries and every state in the Union. She liked to talk politics and loved to argue her point. She was always interested in some type of craft. She had an artistic and creative soul. She painted, crocheted, made dolls and clowns and shared them with everyone. More recently she learned to knit hats and everyone she had come in contact with in the past year has a knitted hat to prove it. She enjoyed yard work and gardening. She loved growing everything from flowers to fruits to family. We are eternally grateful for her legacy of love. Ava leaves behind her saddened family of four children as well as 22 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren. Her children are Jerry (Millie) Martin of Phoenix, Rick (Dixie) Karber of Munds Park, Dennis (Joni) Karber of Phoenix, and Vicki Karber of Phoenix. Grandchildren are: Lisa Hinojosa, Lori Martin, Lynda (Frank) Newman, Steve Martin, Dawn (George) Silva, Ricky (Susan) Karber, Cameron (Anne) Karber, Justine Karber, Mike Karber, Bob (Page) Karber, David (Johni) Karber, Chrissy Roll all of Phoenix, Kelli Karber of Lake Havasu, Crystal (Jimmy) McKnight of Marion, NC, Brian (Gwen) Karber of Marion, NC, Nicole Casper of Pocatello, ID Janessa McKibbin, Kimberly McKibbin, Amy Karber, Nicholas Chandler, and Chelsea Karber all of Phoenix. Great Grandchildren are: Sherry Sprau, Clay Sprau, Jessica Martin, Emily Jewel Martin, Nichole Highley, Rachel Newman, Sarah Newman, Jarrett Martin, Andrew Martin, Ryane Meador-Silva, Taylor Silva, Jordan Silva, Brittany Hammis, Emily Hammis, Rachel Wisniewski, Rusty Wisniewski, Michael Karber, Gabrielle Karber, Trevor Karber, Mattie Karber, Adam Karber, Emily Rose Roll, Samara McKnight, Jimmy Conrad McKnight, Destiny Karber and Serenity Karber. Other survivors include her brother Al (Betty) Wines, sister Fran (Leonard) Pritchard, both of Phoenix, AZ, and brother Bob (Linda) Wines, and sister Ruth (James) Zornes, both of Scappoose, OR, as well as many treasured nieces, nephews, cousins, and other family members and friends. No words can possibly express how deeply Ava is loved or how much she will be missed. Those of us left behind, however, can take comfort in knowing that Ava has "gone home" and is now walking with the angels. Visitation will be held Thursday, December 1, 2005 from 5-8 PM at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, AZ. Funeral Mass will be held Friday, December 2, 2005 at 10 AM at St. Theresa Catholic Church, 5045 E. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ. Graveside services directly following at Green Acres Memorial Gardens in Scottsdale, AZ.

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