Died April 28, 2007
College: Pierson
Widow: Mrs. Helen Michaelson
50 Mary Chase Road
Eastham, MA 02642
508-255-8061
helen6707@comcast.net
Children: Lori, 1969; Cheryl, 1970
Grandchildren: Cassie Schaeberle, 2008
Shortly after graduation, Karl “Kam” and I were married on June 24, 1961 and settled into our life in the Hartford, CT, area. Kam began a career-long association at Aetna Life Insurance Company, interrupted briefly by 6 months of active duty in the U.S. Army at Fort Dix in New Jersey. We lived our first 4 years in East Hartford, Ct, moving to Glastonbury, CT in September, 1965, where we lived for 35 years. Our first daughter, Lori, was born on Jan. 15, 1969, followed soon after by daughter, Cheryl, on Feb. 5, 1970. Those wonderful years watching the girls grow up and prosper filled our lives with joy.
In 1975, Kam was diagnosed with diabetes and battled the debilitating side effects of the disease for the rest of his life. But, it never slowed him down in mental acuity or zest for life. His passion for fishing kept him on the fresh waters and salt waters until his last days. He also became an active antique clock collector. This interest led him into the clock repair business, and he became an active antique dealer at Old Bank Antiques in East Hampton, CT. Our daughter, Cheryl, became his eyes and hands in clock repair as his vision became compromised.
Watching our daughters become adults and pursue their own careers and marriages was the highlight of our lives. Lori and Cheryl both graduated with high honors from Glastonbury High School. Lori graduated from American University in Washington, DC, with a major in International Relations and is now in the Foreign Service with husband, Ian Hayward, in Bolivia, South America. Cheryl graduated from Hamilton College in Clinton, NY with a major in Biology and has worked at Tufts Medical Center in Cancer Research for 19+ years. Sadly, Kam passed away less than a year before our granddaughter, Kassie was born in March, 2008 to Cheryl and her husband, Michael Schaeberle.
We were blessed in so many ways during our 46 years of marriage with a home filled with love of each other and our children, and prosperity from our hard work during our years in our careers. Certainly Kam’s education at Yale and mine at Cornell afforded us countless opportunities for a life filled successes and much joy. It gave to Kam and continues to give to me a sense of continuity as our daughters and their families conduct their lives with respect for the values we felt so important in our family life. His imprint on all our lives will be with us forever and we feel his closeness every day.
—by Helen Michaelson
Obituary:
Karl A. Michaelson, age 67, died at Cape Cod Hospital. On April 28,2007.
He was the husband of Helen (Bogoshian) Michaelson, whom he married in 1961. Karl was born, raised and educated in New Haven, Conn. He graduated from Hill-house High in 1957 and Yale University in 1961.
He went to work for Aetna Life and Casualty Co. in various capacities and retired in 1989 after 25 years of service.
Living in Glastonbury, Conn., for 35 years, he moved to Eastham permanently in 2000, after summering there since 1968.
In his teen years, he helped form and create the Westville Nature Center in New Haven.
An avid antique clock collector, he was a member of NAWCC since 1972. He enjoyed gardening, and had a passion for nature and wild-life, and was a fisherman from the time he could hold a pole in his hands. He loved his family, friends and Cape Cod.
Besides his wife, he is survived by his children, Lori Michaelson and husband Ian Hayward of Manila, Philippines, Cheryl and husband Michael Schaeberle on Concord; many cousins; and an aunt.
A celebration of life service will be held in The Nickerson Funeral Home, 77 Eldredge Park Way, Orleans, on Saturday, May 5, at 11 am. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Associa�tion, 109 Route 28, West Dennis, MA 02670, or National Kidney Foundation, 129 Morgan Drive, Norwood, MA 02062, or Massa�chusetts Audubon Society, 291 State Highway, Route 6, Well fleet. MA 02667.