But he wouldn’t want that, so let us focus on getting some facts straight. Rumors of high school exploits involving cherry bombs are all sadly true. Repeated “borrowing” Fort Greenville cannons to leave on Karen Sue’s front porch - ridiculous but true. The fact that his high school football coach singled him out as an example of the adage: “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog” - apt and true. Releasing a satchel full of pigeons in the Ohio Northern University library - unverified but highly believable.
More than a mere prankster, Mike used his keen sense of humor and wit to the benefit of us all. He could defuse Little League parent squabbles with a warm joke. Parties started whenever Mike entered the room. An evening spent listening to him and his brothers telling tall tales left face muscles aching from laughter. At
Ohio Northern University, he was a member of the Alpha Sigma Phi honors fraternity and graduated with a pharmacy degree in 1963. He worked with Fidelity and later Medicine Shoppe pharmacies in
Dayton OH and was a past President of the Miami Valley Pharmaceutical Association.
Michael’s great loves, outside of his wife and family, were Formula One auto racing and gardening. Starting in the 1970’s he turned a suburban quarter acre into an organic oasis of flower and vegetable beds and when he had lovingly landscaped every inch of that home, he and Karen moved to Brookville OH, where their two acre home is adorned with rose, vegetable and herb gardens and a small orchard. A long-time Indianapolis 500 fan, he did not let his recent bout with tonsil cancer keep him from enjoying last year’s race with racing buddy and son, Michael Scott.
Michael B. is now re-united with his parents, Herman B. and Frances Ebberts Karn and his beloved aunts and uncles, as well as two dogs and a pet bird, all named Sparky. His children, Michael Scott and Bethany, his son-in-law Jeff Plungis, his adored grandchildren Mikhail, Sonja and Alexander Plungis and his brothers Jack and Neil Karn, all hope you will join us in a love fest in his honor at Greenville Presbyterian Church Thursday March 29, 2018 at 11:00 am. A viewing will be held Wednesday March 28, 2018, 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Zechar Bailey Funeral Home and Thursday March 29, 2018, 10:00 to 11:00 am at the church. Burial will happen at the convenience of the family. Charitable contributions to Hospice of Dayton or The National Audubon Society would be a fitting tribute to his love of nature and compassion. Condolences for the family may be expressed through www.zecharbailey.com
