Bahá’í World/Volume 18/Karl Donald Stettler

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The Bahá’í World Volume 18

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KARL DONALD STETTLER

1908—1980

Karl Donald Stettler was born in Canton, Ohio, U.S.A., on 17 October 1908 to Roman Catholic parents. A few years later his family moved to San Bernardino, California, where he attended school. While still a young man he was lured north to Alaska where he settled in Cordova and trained as a meteorologist. After completing his training, he travelled to all the weather stations throughout Alaska as a relief meteorologist.

While stationed at Point Barrow, he first heard about the Bahá’í Faith from a pioneer, Frances Wells.1 She introduced me to Karl just before she left to pioneer once again, this

‘ See ‘In Memoriam’, The Bahá’í World, vol. XllI, p. 923.

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Karl Donald Stettler

time to Luxembourg. She suggested that I keep in touch with him and invite him to Bahá’í activities when he was in Anchorage. I discovered while talking with Karl that I had been binding his library collection on Alaska through the local book store. After that he brought his books directly to me. Dutifully, I sent him Bahá’í literature and notices while he manned weather stations out in the tundra. For my birthday, he sent his Bahá’í enrolment card. The next summer we were married.

Karl was active on the Local Spiritual Assembly of Spenard and was a popular speaker and chairman for public meetings. He became the executive member of the Alaska National Book Sales Committee. Through him, the book sales were enlarged to include publications from Bahá’í publishers around the world. In 1960 he was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska but in the same year the weather bureau sent him to Washington, DC, for additional training in personnel work.

In 1970 Alaska was requested to send pioneers to Swaziland. Karl, myself and my daughter, Deanne, volunteered for this assignment. We became the first caretakers of the

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Leroy Ioas Institute at Mbabane. Karl was constantly working to improve the facilities.

During his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1973 Karl learned that George Ronald, Publisher, in England, could use his help. He had long nursed a desire to work at this publishing house for Marion Hofman. We moved to Oxford and lived in an apartment over the company’s office. In this position Karl also worked for the Publishing Department of the Universal House of Justice.

In 1979 Karl’s health forced him to give up this work to which he had devoted so much love. We returned to the United States and settled in Coos Bay, Oregon.

On 25 May 1979 the Universal House of Justice .wrote to Karl, ‘On the occasion of your leaving the service of the Department of Publishing we take the opportunity of expressing to you our very warm thanks and commendation for the devoted services which you have rendered over the past few years. We are very happy that you and your dear wife have been able to visit the World Centre before going back to Oregon and we offer you both a very warm welcome. Your pioneering services in Africa are remembered by us and we are sure that wherever you may be you will continue to serve the Cause with steadfast devotion. We will offer prayers for you both at the Sacred Threshold.’

After a year’s illness Karl passed from this life on 7 October 1980. He was the first Bahá’í to be laid to rest in the Sunset Memorial Park in Coos Bay. On 21 October the Universal House of J ustice cabled:

OUR LOVING SYMPATHY TO YOU LOSS KARL STEADFAST DEVOTED SERVANT BAHAULLAH.

Karl was a generous, loving, hospitable person and was happiest when our home was humming with Bahá’í activity. His quick wit made him many friends wherever he went. We miss you, Karl, but we know you are just

as busy helping as before.

LUCILLE STETTLER

THE Bahá’í WORLD