Dr. Karl Odwarka, 82, died June 30, 2010, in Lienz, Osttirol, Austria, after a long illness. He was born December 1, 1927, in Karvina, Czech Republic. He studied international business in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, and in 1960 obtained his M. A. in German at Wayne State University. He received his Ph. D. from the University of Michigan in 1973 and began his carrier teaching German at the University of Northern Iowa in 1964, retiring in 1991.
Karl was regular participant at the European Studies Conference and the founding editor of the European Studies Journal. In recent years he was a co-organizer and participant of the Place Names Conference in Kals, Austria. Karl was the founding director of several UNI abroad programs for German students and many will remember his help in finding teaching jobs in Germany. He was a member of the American Association of Teachers of German, the National Ski Patrol, and a Red Cross volunteer.
He is survived by a son, Kris, of Munich, a daughter, Kamy Stefan, of San Diego, and his companion of many years, Wanda Furtschegger of Lienz. Services were held July 16, 2010, in Lienz. A local "Stammtisch" is being planned in his memory.
Copyright Waterloo Courier online edition, posted August 8, 2010.