Giese

Karl Josef Giese passed away on Sept. 11, 2022, at the early age of 41 after fighting a valiant week-long battle following a catastrophic stroke. His date of death marked the 70th birthday of his late mother, Carletta. Karl would have wanted you to know he didn’t want you reading an obituary filled with the normal obituary banter. He hated the normal and ordinary. Karl was an unordinary human, which in turn made him extraordinary to anyone that crossed his path. His legacy is one that should never die and will continue to live on through his children and his writing.

Karl had a magnificent mind, one that was troubling, inquisitive, analytical and full of extreme depth. Although he was surrounded by many friends and loved ones because of his loyal nature, not many people understood his intricate mind. For most of his life, his true love was writing until his children came along and then, that true love spot became shared. He never wanted children because he thought he wouldn’t make a good father, but the opposite came true. He was a loving father, and his children opened a side of his mind he didn’t think existed — a true sense of unwavering love and happiness. Karl’s children were the most important thing in his life.

His mind never shut off and that is one of the many reasons that made him the most fascinating writer. His writing gave a glimpse into his chaotic mind. His writing was filled with cynicism, love, pain, hate and constant questioning that caused his reader to feel complete raw emotion. Using his words, he had the ability to make any event, fact or fiction, come brilliantly alive in his storytelling. If you’ve ever met his dad, you know where the storytelling comes from. Karl’s writing was the type of writing that caused people to question everything they know, everything they love and everything they believe in, because his prose had the profound power to enter, question and alter his reader’s mind.

His tattooed, tough exterior presented a complete conundrum. His heart was as big as his brain, and he was able to deeply feel both the pain and love of others. The broken people, the people that defied society’s norm, the creative ones that poured their heart into their art … these were his people.

No one could beat him at Jeopardy. Many tried, many failed. His knowledge was power. Although faced with many obstacles, he overcame them and graduated from the University of Nevada, being the first from his family to graduate from college. Prior to that, he proudly served in the U.S. Navy, following in the footsteps of his mother. Hooyah!

He was born in California, lived in Nevada for most of his life, then took a chance and drove across the country to Butler, to start a family. He was able to make Butler his home with many loved family and friends in his circle. There is and was no shortage of love for Karl.

He raised heck. He was stubborn, but there was delicacy in his strength. He had a love-hate relationship with alcohol. He wrote like Bukowski. He would want you to go read Bukowski if you haven’t. He loved with a passionate love. He did many great things in his life, but his proudest accomplishment was Eli and Aria.

And in true Karl fashion, he would want this to end with a message for you…

He did not like the Steelers. Go Jags!*

* Note: All you yinzers better cheer for the Jags now in my honor.

GIESE — A celebration of life for Karl Josef Giese, who passed away on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, at the Meridian Vets Club, 125 Vets Club Lane, Butler.

Please sign the guest book at www.butlereagle.com.