Great Uncle to Laura Charles
Son of Charles & Sarah Pearl Weakley Karr, Husband of Betty Jean "Pigg" also father of Benton, Linda and Billie
Served the city of Baxter Springs and Galena Police Departments
Bill also proudly served his country in World War II
Former Baxter Springs Police Chief Dies at age 68
Former Baxter Springs Police Chief William "Bill" W. Karr died Sunday night after suffering an apparent heart attack while on duty as dispatcher at the Baxter Springs Police Department.
Two police officers who were at the police station administered CPR, according to Police Chief Gary Allen. Karr was taken to St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin, where he was pronounced dead.
The heart attack occurred shortly after 7pm after Karr returned to the station from his dinner break.
"If there's anything good about his death, it's that he died doing his job. I think he would have wanted it that ways," Allen said.
Karr was Police Chief at Galena from 1967-1976. He served as Police Chief in Baxter from 1975-1980, and in Burlington, Kansas from 1980-1982 and returned to Baxter Springs as Assistant Police Chief in 1982. He retired in 1990 and continued working as dispatcher.
Karr is survived by his wife Betty. He was 68.
In memory of Karr, Baxter Springs police officers will wear black bands across their badges until sundown the day of the funeral
Allen described Karr as "Very likable." He said the former chief spent most of his life working in law enforcement.
Bill saw a lot of change in law enforcement because he was in it for 25 years, when he started, there were still call boxes on street corners. There were not even radios in cars yet. Bill has given a lot of years to the city of Baxter Springs and the public.
Funeral services are scheduled for Thursday at 10 am
Mr. Karr was born Nov 10, 1924 at Lowell. He was a veteran of the US Army World War II serving in the 101st Airborne in the European Theater.
He was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church, Masonic Lodge AF and AM of Galena, Police Color Guard, and Baxter Springs Reserve Officers.
He worked as security guard at the Kansas Army Ammunitions Plant in Parsons from 1950-1956, and the Rocketdyne plant in Neosho for 11 years. Karr was Police Chief at Galena from 1967-1976. He served as Police Chief in Baxter from 1975-1980, and in Burlington, Kansas from 1980-1982 and returned to Baxter Springs as Assistant Police Chief in 1982 he returned to Baxter Springs in 1982 and served as assistant police chief until his retirement in 1990; he continued to work weekends as dispatcher and also transporting prisoners for the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.
He married Betty J. Pigg on April 11, 1947 at Columbus, she survives.
Additional survivors include 2 daughters, Linda Jay, Rogers, Ark and Billie Jean Highley, Oronogo, MO. One brother Marion Karr, Galena, two sisters, Josie Hendryx, Galena, and Elizabeth Gates, Girard, and aunt Arabelle Gates, Radley, Kansas and six grandchildren
Services will be held Thursday at 10 am at fellowship Baptist Church with Rev. Fed Dycus officiating. Burial will be at the Lowell Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Denny Shelton, Larry Albertson, Rev. J.W. Stephenson, "Gene" Frank Tackett, Charles Rago and John Murry
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 pm Wednesday at Derfelts's Baxter Chapel
Contributions may be made to the Fellowship Baptist Church Building Fund
by the Baxter Springs Police Chief Gary Allen:
As many of you know, we are mourning the passing of William "Bill" W. Karr. To pay tribute to Bill in writing for his life's work in law enforcement would take more pages than anyone could provide, so please consider this article as only the preface of the book of Bill Karr…
Bill was known to all at our department as "Wild Bill." There was no reason for this choosing of his nickname, just something we do in law enforcement, assigns a nickname to every officer.
My thoughts go back 11 years, when as a rookie patrol officer, I was assigned for two weeks training to ride with Bill and Dennis Shelton before being turned loose on my own. Other law enforcement agencies should be so lucky to have officers as knowledgeable and of great wisdom as these two. Although the two weeks went by fast, much was learned in the years later by watching these two work.
After Dennis retired, Bill was left as a father figure to us at our department. Whenever a situation would arise where deep thought was needed, Bill was always there to offer his wisdom. Although times we might not have agreed with it, Bill knew it would be the best way to remedy the situation. Bill continued to work two shifts per week as dispatcher, and just recently completed a 40 hour week filling in for dispatcher vacations.
Bill was already scheduled to make a prisoner transport the day after his death for our Sheriff's Department. The transport car was already sitting the the driveway, the trip was to be only another transport as Bill has done many times in the past, waking in the early morning hours, picking up prisoners, driving long hours to arrive at the facility, and return in the darkened hours of the night. A hardship too many was only another day for Bill.
I find the paragraphs easy to write about Bill, but, as I stated earlier, I have no enough paper to complete the book.
Law enforcement lost a great man, we all lost a great friend, and the family a great family man. If I may borrow a phrase from Rev. William's from his sermon during the funeral. "Thank you " Betty for letting us have Bill for all the years. We will truly miss this great man.
Son of Charles & Sarah Pearl Weakley Karr, Husband of Betty Jean "Pigg" also father of Benton, Linda and Billie
Served the city of Baxter Springs and Galena Police Departments
Bill also proudly served his country in World War II
Former Baxter Springs Police Chief Dies at age 68
Former Baxter Springs Police Chief William "Bill" W. Karr died Sunday night after suffering an apparent heart attack while on duty as dispatcher at the Baxter Springs Police Department.
Two police officers who were at the police station administered CPR, according to Police Chief Gary Allen. Karr was taken to St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin, where he was pronounced dead.
The heart attack occurred shortly after 7pm after Karr returned to the station from his dinner break.
"If there's anything good about his death, it's that he died doing his job. I think he would have wanted it that ways," Allen said.
Karr was Police Chief at Galena from 1967-1976. He served as Police Chief in Baxter from 1975-1980, and in Burlington, Kansas from 1980-1982 and returned to Baxter Springs as Assistant Police Chief in 1982. He retired in 1990 and continued working as dispatcher.
Karr is survived by his wife Betty. He was 68.
In memory of Karr, Baxter Springs police officers will wear black bands across their badges until sundown the day of the funeral
Allen described Karr as "Very likable." He said the former chief spent most of his life working in law enforcement.
Bill saw a lot of change in law enforcement because he was in it for 25 years, when he started, there were still call boxes on street corners. There were not even radios in cars yet. Bill has given a lot of years to the city of Baxter Springs and the public.
Funeral services are scheduled for Thursday at 10 am
Mr. Karr was born Nov 10, 1924 at Lowell. He was a veteran of the US Army World War II serving in the 101st Airborne in the European Theater.
He was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church, Masonic Lodge AF and AM of Galena, Police Color Guard, and Baxter Springs Reserve Officers.
He worked as security guard at the Kansas Army Ammunitions Plant in Parsons from 1950-1956, and the Rocketdyne plant in Neosho for 11 years. Karr was Police Chief at Galena from 1967-1976. He served as Police Chief in Baxter from 1975-1980, and in Burlington, Kansas from 1980-1982 and returned to Baxter Springs as Assistant Police Chief in 1982 he returned to Baxter Springs in 1982 and served as assistant police chief until his retirement in 1990; he continued to work weekends as dispatcher and also transporting prisoners for the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.
He married Betty J. Pigg on April 11, 1947 at Columbus, she survives.
Additional survivors include 2 daughters, Linda Jay, Rogers, Ark and Billie Jean Highley, Oronogo, MO. One brother Marion Karr, Galena, two sisters, Josie Hendryx, Galena, and Elizabeth Gates, Girard, and aunt Arabelle Gates, Radley, Kansas and six grandchildren
Services will be held Thursday at 10 am at fellowship Baptist Church with Rev. Fed Dycus officiating. Burial will be at the Lowell Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Denny Shelton, Larry Albertson, Rev. J.W. Stephenson, "Gene" Frank Tackett, Charles Rago and John Murry
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 pm Wednesday at Derfelts's Baxter Chapel
Contributions may be made to the Fellowship Baptist Church Building Fund
by the Baxter Springs Police Chief Gary Allen:
As many of you know, we are mourning the passing of William "Bill" W. Karr. To pay tribute to Bill in writing for his life's work in law enforcement would take more pages than anyone could provide, so please consider this article as only the preface of the book of Bill Karr…
Bill was known to all at our department as "Wild Bill." There was no reason for this choosing of his nickname, just something we do in law enforcement, assigns a nickname to every officer.
My thoughts go back 11 years, when as a rookie patrol officer, I was assigned for two weeks training to ride with Bill and Dennis Shelton before being turned loose on my own. Other law enforcement agencies should be so lucky to have officers as knowledgeable and of great wisdom as these two. Although the two weeks went by fast, much was learned in the years later by watching these two work.
After Dennis retired, Bill was left as a father figure to us at our department. Whenever a situation would arise where deep thought was needed, Bill was always there to offer his wisdom. Although times we might not have agreed with it, Bill knew it would be the best way to remedy the situation. Bill continued to work two shifts per week as dispatcher, and just recently completed a 40 hour week filling in for dispatcher vacations.
Bill was already scheduled to make a prisoner transport the day after his death for our Sheriff's Department. The transport car was already sitting the the driveway, the trip was to be only another transport as Bill has done many times in the past, waking in the early morning hours, picking up prisoners, driving long hours to arrive at the facility, and return in the darkened hours of the night. A hardship too many was only another day for Bill.
I find the paragraphs easy to write about Bill, but, as I stated earlier, I have no enough paper to complete the book.
Law enforcement lost a great man, we all lost a great friend, and the family a great family man. If I may borrow a phrase from Rev. William's from his sermon during the funeral. "Thank you " Betty for letting us have Bill for all the years. We will truly miss this great man.
Great Uncle to Laura Charles
Son of Charles & Sarah Pearl Weakley Karr, Husband of Betty Jean "Pigg" also father of Benton, Linda and Billie
Served the city of Baxter Springs and Galena Police Departments
Bill also proudly served his country in World War II
Former Baxter Springs Police Chief Dies at age 68
Former Baxter Springs Police Chief William "Bill" W. Karr died Sunday night after suffering an apparent heart attack while on duty as dispatcher at the Baxter Springs Police Department.
Two police officers who were at the police station administered CPR, according to Police Chief Gary Allen. Karr was taken to St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin, where he was pronounced dead.
The heart attack occurred shortly after 7pm after Karr returned to the station from his dinner break.
"If there's anything good about his death, it's that he died doing his job. I think he would have wanted it that ways," Allen said.
Karr was Police Chief at Galena from 1967-1976. He served as Police Chief in Baxter from 1975-1980, and in Burlington, Kansas from 1980-1982 and returned to Baxter Springs as Assistant Police Chief in 1982. He retired in 1990 and continued working as dispatcher.
Karr is survived by his wife Betty. He was 68.
In memory of Karr, Baxter Springs police officers will wear black bands across their badges until sundown the day of the funeral
Allen described Karr as "Very likable." He said the former chief spent most of his life working in law enforcement.
Bill saw a lot of change in law enforcement because he was in it for 25 years, when he started, there were still call boxes on street corners. There were not even radios in cars yet. Bill has given a lot of years to the city of Baxter Springs and the public.
Funeral services are scheduled for Thursday at 10 am
Mr. Karr was born Nov 10, 1924 at Lowell. He was a veteran of the US Army World War II serving in the 101st Airborne in the European Theater.
He was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church, Masonic Lodge AF and AM of Galena, Police Color Guard, and Baxter Springs Reserve Officers.
He worked as security guard at the Kansas Army Ammunitions Plant in Parsons from 1950-1956, and the Rocketdyne plant in Neosho for 11 years. Karr was Police Chief at Galena from 1967-1976. He served as Police Chief in Baxter from 1975-1980, and in Burlington, Kansas from 1980-1982 and returned to Baxter Springs as Assistant Police Chief in 1982 he returned to Baxter Springs in 1982 and served as assistant police chief until his retirement in 1990; he continued to work weekends as dispatcher and also transporting prisoners for the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.
He married Betty J. Pigg on April 11, 1947 at Columbus, she survives.
Additional survivors include 2 daughters, Linda Jay, Rogers, Ark and Billie Jean Highley, Oronogo, MO. One brother Marion Karr, Galena, two sisters, Josie Hendryx, Galena, and Elizabeth Gates, Girard, and aunt Arabelle Gates, Radley, Kansas and six grandchildren
Services will be held Thursday at 10 am at fellowship Baptist Church with Rev. Fed Dycus officiating. Burial will be at the Lowell Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Denny Shelton, Larry Albertson, Rev. J.W. Stephenson, "Gene" Frank Tackett, Charles Rago and John Murry
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 pm Wednesday at Derfelts's Baxter Chapel
Contributions may be made to the Fellowship Baptist Church Building Fund
by the Baxter Springs Police Chief Gary Allen:
As many of you know, we are mourning the passing of William "Bill" W. Karr. To pay tribute to Bill in writing for his life's work in law enforcement would take more pages than anyone could provide, so please consider this article as only the preface of the book of Bill Karr…
Bill was known to all at our department as "Wild Bill." There was no reason for this choosing of his nickname, just something we do in law enforcement, assigns a nickname to every officer.
My thoughts go back 11 years, when as a rookie patrol officer, I was assigned for two weeks training to ride with Bill and Dennis Shelton before being turned loose on my own. Other law enforcement agencies should be so lucky to have officers as knowledgeable and of great wisdom as these two. Although the two weeks went by fast, much was learned in the years later by watching these two work.
After Dennis retired, Bill was left as a father figure to us at our department. Whenever a situation would arise where deep thought was needed, Bill was always there to offer his wisdom. Although times we might not have agreed with it, Bill knew it would be the best way to remedy the situation. Bill continued to work two shifts per week as dispatcher, and just recently completed a 40 hour week filling in for dispatcher vacations.
Bill was already scheduled to make a prisoner transport the day after his death for our Sheriff's Department. The transport car was already sitting the the driveway, the trip was to be only another transport as Bill has done many times in the past, waking in the early morning hours, picking up prisoners, driving long hours to arrive at the facility, and return in the darkened hours of the night. A hardship too many was only another day for Bill.
I find the paragraphs easy to write about Bill, but, as I stated earlier, I have no enough paper to complete the book.
Law enforcement lost a great man, we all lost a great friend, and the family a great family man. If I may borrow a phrase from Rev. William's from his sermon during the funeral. "Thank you " Betty for letting us have Bill for all the years. We will truly miss this great man.
Son of Charles & Sarah Pearl Weakley Karr, Husband of Betty Jean "Pigg" also father of Benton, Linda and Billie
Served the city of Baxter Springs and Galena Police Departments
Bill also proudly served his country in World War II
Former Baxter Springs Police Chief Dies at age 68
Former Baxter Springs Police Chief William "Bill" W. Karr died Sunday night after suffering an apparent heart attack while on duty as dispatcher at the Baxter Springs Police Department.
Two police officers who were at the police station administered CPR, according to Police Chief Gary Allen. Karr was taken to St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin, where he was pronounced dead.
The heart attack occurred shortly after 7pm after Karr returned to the station from his dinner break.
"If there's anything good about his death, it's that he died doing his job. I think he would have wanted it that ways," Allen said.
Karr was Police Chief at Galena from 1967-1976. He served as Police Chief in Baxter from 1975-1980, and in Burlington, Kansas from 1980-1982 and returned to Baxter Springs as Assistant Police Chief in 1982. He retired in 1990 and continued working as dispatcher.
Karr is survived by his wife Betty. He was 68.
In memory of Karr, Baxter Springs police officers will wear black bands across their badges until sundown the day of the funeral
Allen described Karr as "Very likable." He said the former chief spent most of his life working in law enforcement.
Bill saw a lot of change in law enforcement because he was in it for 25 years, when he started, there were still call boxes on street corners. There were not even radios in cars yet. Bill has given a lot of years to the city of Baxter Springs and the public.
Funeral services are scheduled for Thursday at 10 am
Mr. Karr was born Nov 10, 1924 at Lowell. He was a veteran of the US Army World War II serving in the 101st Airborne in the European Theater.
He was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church, Masonic Lodge AF and AM of Galena, Police Color Guard, and Baxter Springs Reserve Officers.
He worked as security guard at the Kansas Army Ammunitions Plant in Parsons from 1950-1956, and the Rocketdyne plant in Neosho for 11 years. Karr was Police Chief at Galena from 1967-1976. He served as Police Chief in Baxter from 1975-1980, and in Burlington, Kansas from 1980-1982 and returned to Baxter Springs as Assistant Police Chief in 1982 he returned to Baxter Springs in 1982 and served as assistant police chief until his retirement in 1990; he continued to work weekends as dispatcher and also transporting prisoners for the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.
He married Betty J. Pigg on April 11, 1947 at Columbus, she survives.
Additional survivors include 2 daughters, Linda Jay, Rogers, Ark and Billie Jean Highley, Oronogo, MO. One brother Marion Karr, Galena, two sisters, Josie Hendryx, Galena, and Elizabeth Gates, Girard, and aunt Arabelle Gates, Radley, Kansas and six grandchildren
Services will be held Thursday at 10 am at fellowship Baptist Church with Rev. Fed Dycus officiating. Burial will be at the Lowell Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Denny Shelton, Larry Albertson, Rev. J.W. Stephenson, "Gene" Frank Tackett, Charles Rago and John Murry
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 pm Wednesday at Derfelts's Baxter Chapel
Contributions may be made to the Fellowship Baptist Church Building Fund
by the Baxter Springs Police Chief Gary Allen:
As many of you know, we are mourning the passing of William "Bill" W. Karr. To pay tribute to Bill in writing for his life's work in law enforcement would take more pages than anyone could provide, so please consider this article as only the preface of the book of Bill Karr…
Bill was known to all at our department as "Wild Bill." There was no reason for this choosing of his nickname, just something we do in law enforcement, assigns a nickname to every officer.
My thoughts go back 11 years, when as a rookie patrol officer, I was assigned for two weeks training to ride with Bill and Dennis Shelton before being turned loose on my own. Other law enforcement agencies should be so lucky to have officers as knowledgeable and of great wisdom as these two. Although the two weeks went by fast, much was learned in the years later by watching these two work.
After Dennis retired, Bill was left as a father figure to us at our department. Whenever a situation would arise where deep thought was needed, Bill was always there to offer his wisdom. Although times we might not have agreed with it, Bill knew it would be the best way to remedy the situation. Bill continued to work two shifts per week as dispatcher, and just recently completed a 40 hour week filling in for dispatcher vacations.
Bill was already scheduled to make a prisoner transport the day after his death for our Sheriff's Department. The transport car was already sitting the the driveway, the trip was to be only another transport as Bill has done many times in the past, waking in the early morning hours, picking up prisoners, driving long hours to arrive at the facility, and return in the darkened hours of the night. A hardship too many was only another day for Bill.
I find the paragraphs easy to write about Bill, but, as I stated earlier, I have no enough paper to complete the book.
Law enforcement lost a great man, we all lost a great friend, and the family a great family man. If I may borrow a phrase from Rev. William's from his sermon during the funeral. "Thank you " Betty for letting us have Bill for all the years. We will truly miss this great man.
