Karl D. Poland

After an extended illness, beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend to many, Karl Dean Poland, 63, Zephyrhills, Florida departed this life at 11:00 a.m. Friday, September 3, 2010 at the Gulfside Center for Hospice Care in Zephyrhills. He will be missed greatly by his family and everyone who knew him. Karl was truly blessed. He was born on June 12, 1947 in Warsaw, Indiana to Howard Delmar & Mary Louise (Metzger) Poland. Karl graduated from Manchester High School in 1965. He married Sharon Lee Bechtol on June 28, 1968. Karl graduated Manchester College in North Manchester, IN, where he received a Bachelor's Degree in business administration in 1969. Karl and his wife of 42 years resided in Huntington, Indiana until 1990 when Karl was transfered to Florida for work. Karl was emplyed by GTE (now Frontier Communications), where he served dutifully for 29 years before retiring in 1998. In his leisure, he enjoyed traveling in his RV, volunteering at State Parks, family vacations to Canada and joking around with family and friends. Karl enjoyed meeting and sharing life stories with everyone he met. He always told a good story and had a great sense of humor. He leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Sharon Lee (Bechtol) Poland, two sons, Troy (Leah Howard Poland) Poland and Travis Poland. Three grandchildren, Kendra Poland, Karlie Poland and Aiden Poland. One great-grandson, Cooper Zielinski. His Mother, Mary Lousie Jenkins, step-brother, Paul (Cheryl) Jenkins, step-sister, Janet (Bob) Glick, brother-in-law, Mike (Debbie) Bechtol and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other loving relatives and friends. Karl was preceded in death by his father, step-father, Merritt Jenkins; a son, Timothy Poland and a daughter, Karla Poland. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in honor of Karl Dean Poland to Gulfside Regional Hospice Inc., 5760 Dean Dairy Road, Zephyrhills, Florida 33542. Services will be held Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. at McKee Mortuary, 1401 State Road 114 West, North Manchester, IN Friends and family may call two hours prior to the service on Thursday. Pastor J.P. Freeman will officiate. Entombment will be at a later date in Memorial Lawns Cemetery, Wabash, Indiana.