May 2, 1942 —October 17, 2011
Seattle’s Jewish community said its goodbyes in late October to Carl Kitz. He passed away suddenly on October 17, 2011 from complications following heart surgery. He was 69.
Carl George Kitz was born May 2, 1942 in Brooklyn, N.Y. to Esther and Jacob Kitz. He grew up in the Bronx. After graduating from Indiana Institute of Technology in 1965, Carl headed west to take a position with Boeing. Later, he attended the Seattle University for post-graduate studies. Deciding to settle there, he eventually brought his parents to Seattle to join him.
Shortly after his arrival in Seattle, Carl met the lovely Marion Stern and married on August 22, 1971. The marriage would last over 40 years and produce two devoted and loving daughters, Rebecca and Leah, who both now reside in Los Angeles.
Dedicated to his family, Carl enjoyed visiting his daughters in Los Angeles with Marion as well as their frequent visits back home in Seattle. He instilled in his daughters the Jewish values of tikkun olam; they both work in the Los Angeles Jewish community. In the summer of 2006, the family met in Israel and toured the country together to celebrate Carl and Marion’s 35th wedding anniversary. In 2009, Carl welcomed Rebecca’s husband, Opher, into the family. He adored Marion’s parents, Klaus and Paula Stern, survivors of the Holocaust who reside in Seattle.
Shortly after his graduation from Seattle University, Carl began what would become a 36-year career as a chemical engineer with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). While there, he supervised the aftermath of major oil spills, including clean-up efforts, and ultimately he would help determine the impact on the environment. Not one to idle at home, Carl lent his valued skills to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after his retirement from the EPA. He even flew down to New Orleans three times following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 to offer his services and considerable expertise.
Professionally, Carl was known as a mentor by many, and his family was touched by the many who contacted them after his passing to acknowledge his role in their professional development and training. A thoughtful listener, Carl was a gentle man of quiet grace; he gave sage advice, but only after careful and due consideration. When asked for his opinion, he took information on the subject to heart and offered wise words that would make an impact.
Carl was buried on October 18, 2011 at Herzl Memorial Park. The family requests that any contributions made in memory of Carl Kitz be to the Washington State Holocaust Education Resource Center, Congregation Shaarei Tefillah—Lubavitch or the Menachem Mendel Seattle Cheder. In addition to Marion, Leah, and Rebecca Kitz (Opher), Carl is survived by his brother Saul Kitz, brother in-law and sister in-law Marvin and Michelle Stern, and his mother-in-law and father-in-law Paula and Klaus Stern.