William (Bill) Karatz

William Warren (Bill) Karatz, attorney and patron of the arts, died in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on August 22, 2022. He was 96. Bill grew up in Chicago and lived most of his life in New York City, where he had a distinguished career in the law at Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam & Roberts, including an appearance before the U.S. Supreme Court. He served the Legal Aid Society and many bar association committees, local and national. He retired from practice in 1986, remaining active in the firm post-retirement. From 1944 to 1946, Bill served in the Navy, in New York, Pennsylvania, and Guam. He earned a Bachelor degree at the University of Chicago in 1948 as a Laverne Noyes scholar. In 1949, he started graduate work in Political Science at Columbia University, and then received his JD in 1952 from Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone scholar and an Editor of the Columbia Law Review. Bill was a passionate collector of Asian art and several of his pieces are now in museum collections. He enjoyed the performing and studio arts and gave generously to arts institutions. He collected fine wines and became a grand officier in Confr?rie des Chevaliers du Tastevin. He pursued all of his interests during frequent travels around the world. A member of the Century Association and India House Club, Bill was blessed with the companionship of many friends and colleagues, at home and abroad. Born in Benton Harbor, Michigan on August 9, 1926, he was predeceased by his parents, Harry E. Karatz and Grace M. Karatz (n?e Campbell), his sister Constance T. Seltzer, his wife Barbara Lansburgh (Low) Karatz and her daughter Joyce (Low) Furth. He is survived by nieces Diane Kaplan (Howard, deceased) and Cynthia Kaplan (Dan); grand nieces and nephews Rachel Kaplan, Samuel Kaplan, Hyla Rosenberg, Cara Kaplan and Adam Kaplan; cousin Bruce Karatz; step grandchildren Nick Gutfreund (Mary Duncan), Joshua Gutfreund (Jamie), and Owen Gutfreund (Victoria); step great grandchildren Sophia Gutfreund, Gray Gutfreund, Charlotte and Willa Gutfreund; and his friend and companion Joan Smith.