Admiral Dale Karr

Admiral Dale Karr, age 85, passed away peacefully at home in his sleep on January 3, 2018. He liked to tell people he was born as a late firecracker on July 5, 1932, eight blocks from the Pony Express Barns in Saint Joseph, Missouri, to Leslie and Roberta Karr. He said he was given a permanent life-time commission when given his name Admiral Dale, and he took his First Mate on board in Kansas City, Missouri in 1951 when he married the love of his life, Myrle Arliss Young Karr. They were married for 66 years and were blessed with 2 daughters, 3 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Dale always told people he was the only Admiral you would ever meet that didn't serve in the navy. The Admiral gave up the ship for a train in 1950 when he joined the Kansas City Southern Railway. He served as a messenger, clerk to the President, Professional Secretary to the V.P. of Traffic, then Kansas City Sales Traffic Representative. In 1961, he moved into operations, traveling the entire railroad as Asst. Trainmaster for 2 years. In late 1962, he transferred to the Shreveport Head Office as the Asst. to the Superintendent of Transportation. When the Company moved operations of the entire system to Shreveport, he was promoted to Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of Operations from which he retired after 46 years of service on April 1, 1996. Dale was an active member of the Disciples of Christ Christian Church his whole life. He met his wife there and his minister became his father-in-law who later baptized his daughters and son-in-law. During retirement, he and his wife were content to serve the worldwide church of Jesus Christ by serving neighbors in many local congregations. Currently, they were a part of Mangum Methodist Church. The Admiral's past community activities included: the Boy Scouts; Jr. Chamber of Commerce; County Chairman of American Red Cross & local United Way; Jr. Achievement; Mayor Bo Williams Engineering Construction Contract Awarding Committee for City Projects; West Shreveport Association Civic Club; President of his beloved KCS-L&A Retirees monthly meetings; Railroad Consultant for the Port of Shreveport-Bossier; Board of Directors of the State Fair of Louisiana; Member of the Executive Board of the Ark-La-Tex Ag Council for years and the Vice Chairman of the Ag council for the past 10 years. He was given an Honorary Member Degree from the Louisiana FFA in 1996 for his outstanding service over the years. This past November, at the Ark-La-Tex Ag Council Junior Livestock Sale at the Louisiana State Fair, Admiral and his wife Myrle were pleased to be recognized and honored for their years of service. Dale enjoyed woodworking, jewelry making, sports, family camping, traveling and music. At age 9, he became a percussionist and started playing the Marimba by climbing on top of a platform built by his grandad. Dale played the marimba for all of life's celebrations and his daughters and grandchildren felt blessed to have him play at their weddings. Dale is survived by his wife, Myrle Young Karr; daughters & their husbands, Kay & David Taggart and Jennifer & Burt Bowers, Shreveport, LA; grandchildren & their spouses, Stephanie & CMSgt Lee Mills, Spokane, WA; Stacey & Jay Connor, Helena, AL; Dr. Andrew Karr & Leslie Bowers, Tyler, TX; great-grandchildren, Jackson Mills, Makayla Mills, Cameron Mills, Maryn Connor, Thomas Connor and William Bowers; sister & her husband, Donna Lou & Ron Holloway; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces & great-nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Stella Roberta Babcock Karr and Leslie Thurman Karr. Visitation will be at Rose-Neath Southside Chapel, 2500 Southside Dr., Shreveport, LA on Friday, January 12, 2018 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Services will also be at Rose-Neath Southside Chapel on Saturday, January 13 at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. McKee Williams officiating accompanied by flutist, George Hancock. Interment will follow at Forest Park Cemetery West, 4000 Meriwether Rd. Pallbearers will be his son-in-laws, David R. Taggart & Burt A. Bowers; grandsons, Andrew Karr Bowers & Alvin Jay Connor, Jr.; friends, Jon V. Lowe, Thomas Owen, Andy Shehee & Charles Wright. Honorary pallbearers will be his grandson, CMSgt Lee Paul Mills; great-grandsons, Jackson Mills, Cameron Mills, Thomas Connor, William Bowers; and the Officers and Directors of the Ark-La-Tex Ag Council. Memorials may be made to the Ark-La-Tex Ag Council Scholarship Fund, which was near and dear to "The Admiral's" heart.