Daniel Douglas Karel

1964 - 2021

Daniel Douglas Karel

November 19, 1964 - May 25, 2021

On the evening of Tuesday, May 25, 2021, Dan Karel, a loving, strong, spiritual man from Cottonwood, Idaho, went home to God as his family and mother Angie prayed the Rosary with him after fighting a two year battle with Cholangiocarcinoma.

Daniel Douglas Karel was born in Twin Falls, Idaho on November 19, 1964, to Francis and Angeline (Hurt) Karel. He lived south of Twin Falls on a little farm. Dan was the third child of four and attended Bickel Elementary. In 1975 the family moved to Buhl, Idaho to take up farming with Dan's grandparents. He sang in the school choir and excelled at trumpet in the band.

He graduated from Buhl High School in 1983.

A few years after high school he married Laurie Terhaar on July 26, 1986, in Greencreek, ID. They lived in Blackfoot and later Shelley, Idaho. Dan completed the Auto Upholstery program at ISU and worked as an upholsterer for a few years. He later managed a restaurant and worked in a tile shop. They had three children – Calista, Kevin, and Michael while living in Southeastern Idaho.

In 1995 Dan and his family moved to Lewiston, Idaho, and worked at a flooring store. Another son, Anthony, was born in 1999. In 2000 Dan and his family moved to Cottonwood, Idaho and he was a Construction Supervisor for 19 years until ill health forced early retirement

Dan was handy and had many talents: an excellent cook and a musician who could sing, play bass guitar, mandolin, trumpet, and accordion. He loved to cook and grow tomatoes. He could build and fix almost anything: cars, jet skis, clocks, and also liked building tree houses and home improvement projects.

Dan was very involved with the youth as a 4-H leader, Boy Scout leader, Youth Group chaperone and loved to teach kids how to analyze and solve problems.

He sang and played trumpet at church and was very involved with the Knights of Columbus.

Dan became ill in April of 2019 and fought cancer bravely for two years with poise and perseverance. He often said the cancer was, in a way, a gift, and that it gave him time to reflect and prepare for the future. He got his spiritual life in order and prayed for many different people on a daily basis.

Dan is survived by his wife Laurie Karel of Cottonwood, Idaho, daughter Calista Cowan (Chris), and their children Miles and Ella of Craigmont, Idaho.

His sons are Kevin Karel and his girlfriend Dottie Harmon and her son Aiden De Lorenze of Cottonwood, Idaho, Michael (Abby) Karel and their soon-to-be child of Boise, ID, and Anthony Karel of Lewiston, Idaho and Anthony's fiancée, Chynna Wilcox, of Moscow, Idaho. His mother Angie Karel of Buhl, Idaho, sister Emma (Michelle) Karel-Ward of Troy, Idaho, brothers Craig (Kathleen) Karel of Filer, Idaho, and John (Renee) Karel of Eagle, Idaho. Dan has numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his Dad Francis Karel and his grandparents Frank and Emma (Feiling) Karel, and Louis and Gladys (Owen) Hurt.

Viewing at Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville on Wednesday, June 2nd from 4:00-7:00 p.m. The funeral is on Thursday, June 3rd at St. Anthony Church in Greencreek, Idaho. Rosary 2:00 p.m. and Mass 2:30 p.m. Burial following Mass at Greencreek Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of the Blackmer Funeral Home, Grangeville. Send condolences to the family to blackmerfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers, Dan would be honored if you would volunteer a few hours with youth in your community, give to Hospice, Right to Life, Idaho Catholic Seminarian Fund, or a local family in need.