Lieutenant Colonel Robert John Karrer, Jr. (USA, Retired) age 87 of Charleston, South Carolina died peacefully on July 26, 2024, surrounded by family and friends.
Born April 20, 1937, in Essex Junction, Vermont, Bob was the son of Colonel Robert Joseph Karrer (USA, Retired) and Mabel MacCausland Karrer. He grew up with his brother at his grandparents’ family home in the “Green Mountain State” and spent summers on Cape Cod. He proudly was a lifelong member of the Red Sox nation and rooted for any team playing the Cowboys.
Bob attended schools in Vermont, Georgia, Virginia, Yokohama, Occupied Japan (Yo-Hi), graduating from Columbus High School, Columbus GA. He attended The Citadel in Charleston where he made lifelong friends with fellow cadets in November Company and met his wife to-be, Sara. Graduating from the Citadel in 1959 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, he received his commission as a Second Lieutenant. Continuing his studies at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, Bob embarked on a Spanish language immersion and home stay in Saltillo, Mexico earning a master’s degree in history in 1961. Bob entered active Army duty as a First Lieutenant and married his beloved Sara in 1963. After a honeymoon cross country trek via Mexico. Bob and Sara attended language school in Monterey, CA, learning Portuguese and welcoming their first child John (Fritz) in 1964 and their first of many family cats, Ginny. Their second child Sara Lynne was born in 1966.
Bob served two combat tours in Vietnam as an Imagery Surveillance officer and a Foreign Area officer, wife Sara caring for Fritz and Sara Lynne with support from her aunts and Bob’s parents.
From September 1967 to July 1982, Bob and his family served three tours in the Republic of Panama. During time on the Isthmus, Bob trained foreign officers at the Spanish language School of the Americas, served as the premier escort officer for VIP and officer-student orientation trips to the United States, supported numerous counterinsurgency operations and was instrumental in planning the turnover of the Canal Zone to the Republic of Panama with the Torrijos–Carter treaties signed September 7, 1977.
Colorful aspects of Bob’s tours in the Canal Zone include being one of General Noriega’s instructors at US Army School of the Americas, playing handball with two future presidents of Latin American countries, being the Portuguese briefer for the Army, and serving as Command “Tour Guide” at USSOUTHCOM – escorting scores of distinguished visitors to the area on helicopter overflights. During his tours on the Isthmus, he became deeply involved in the old Cristobal Coin Club and Pacific Side coin and stamp clubs. Known as a Panama and Canal Zone history expert, Bob co-founded the Isthmian Collectors Club, writing the club’s newsletter 30+ years. He personally wrote the 100s of researched, informative articles, educating a generation of Isthmian collectors. For his service to the Canal Zone Study Group, Bob was awarded the Al Bew Service medal. He enjoyed wheeling and dealing for decades with his compatriots Gene Hamlin and his “semi-son” Brad Wilde, and many other fellow collectors. He also dabbled in birding, bottle hunting and butterfly chasing.
Upon his selection as Secretary of the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB) headquartered in Washington DC, Bob and his family relocated from Panama to Virgina. With the IADB, Bob served as part of an international committee responsible for developing collaborative approaches on common defense and security issues facing countries in North, Central, and South America. He was also an instructor at the Defense Intelligence College (he strongly suggested not naming it as such) and was noted for challenging his students and for his lectures based on real world experience.
During a military career that spanned 25 years, Bob received numerous awards and commendations, including the Legion of Merit (1 OLC) the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (1 OLC) and Vietnam Campaign Medal (6 service stars). He was especially proud to be honored by Brazil with the Order of Aeronautical Merit (Ordem do Mérito Aeronáutico) and grade of Commander (Comendador) for his distinguished service and exceptional contributions to the Brazilian Air Force – the highest possible award for a foreigner.
Upon retirement, there was no slowing down for “Colonel Bob” – he and Sara moved to Charleston, S.C. to an ante-bellum house they purchased in the 70s. Bob saw to the restoration, filling their home with treasures from around the world from travel to one hundred countries. He loved his Wentworth Street house and his neighbors, sitting out front greeting everyone (and their dogs) who walked by.
Known for his brilliant mind and kind heart, Bob enjoyed philately, genealogy (especially the Nickerson family which traced back to the Mayflower), and sharing knowledge. He amassed premier postal history collections on the Confederacy, Charleston, and Panama Canal Zone, and supported the Panama Canal Museum by securing donations and funding. It was all a labor of love. “Poppy” to his children, grandchildren and extended family, Bob is remembered for his Rules of Life, supporting education, sharing his sense of adventure with his family and longtime friends Harold “Uncle Nick” Nicklas and Doug and Suzie Knapp (Nick and Doug even walked with him down the aisle for support at Sara Lynne’s wedding), completing crossword puzzles over the phone with Fritz, always knowing the Trivial Pursuit answers (and telling you how he knew the answer), ending phone calls without saying goodbye (the discussion was over), his appraisal and collecting expertise ranging from postcards and memorabilia to rugs, lamps and gemstones, gardening in his kimono, making friends at the USPS and hand canceling stamps on letters and packages, his love of oyster roasts, low country pig picking, lunch at Santi’s, pupusas, and liverwurst for breakfast.
Bob is survived by his brother, Donald Karrer of Burlington, NC; son John (Fritz) Karrer of St. Petersburg, FL; sunshine girl Sara Lynne Karrer and husband Scott Robertson of Washington DC; grandchildren James Karrer and Charlotte Karrer; nieces Christine Karrer, Katherine MacKinnon, Virginia MacKinnon; nephews John Karrer and Luther MacKinnon; cousin Anna (Banana Jr.) Baeli and family, his sweet kitty Marshmellow now in the care of Holly Britto and family, and many other cousins and friends. Bob was preceded in death by his wife Sara Mitchum Karrer, parents, COL Robert J. Karrer (Big Daddy) and Mabel (Big Nana) Karrer, and beloved aunts Louise Prescott and Anna (Banana Sr.) Powers. He will be laid to rest near his parents and with his wife at Arlington National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Panama Canal Museum Collection (PCMC) at the University of Florida Libraries at this link: https://www.uff.ufl.edu/giving-opportunities/017605-panama-canal-museum-collection-endowment/