Roll Call Tribute

Karl Walter Southward 

August 19, 1934 - August 19, 2022 

Karl Walter Southward gently passed away on the morning of his 88th birthday, August 19, 2022, at his home, with his two daughters at his side while under hospice care. He leaves behind family members that will forever cherish his memories, including: his son, Kris Southward and his wife, Karen, of Abilene, Texas; his daughter Kelli Alexander and her husband, Sam, of Sanger, Texas, and his daughter, Keri Barfield, and her husband, Randy, of Driftwood, Texas. His legacy also includes his grandson, Samuel "Catfish" Alexander, his three granddaughters Katelyn Fairfield, Karaline Burnam, Karli Smith, and their respective spouses Robert, Luke and Caleb, and his four great-grandchildren, Ryder, Alvis, Abigail and Kaisley. He loved his nephews Paul and Mark, his dear niece, Lisa, and his Texas-panhandle cousins, Danny, Norman and Walt. He was preceded in death by his parents, Travis and Irene Southward, and his beloved wife of 60 years, Carolyn Southward.

A joyous celebration of his story-filled life will be held Saturday, September 3rd, 2022 outdoors, at his home in beautiful Nemo, Texas from 11am - 1pm. This will be a come-and-go event. Please dress casually. Food from Storiebook Cafe, a local Glen Rose favorite of his, will be served and at his request a Dixieland Jazz Band will provide festive music as we visit about the stories you have of this unique man. We will treasure them forever!

Karl, Dad, Pa K, was born August 19, 1934 in Hillsboro, Texas, and spent his earliest years in nearby Itasca. He was an only child and the family moved to the Oak Cliff section of Dallas while he was young, where his dad passed away from cancer while Karl was in grade school. His mother never remarried and he became part of the "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" gang. He threw newspapers for the Dallas Times Herald, worked construction jobs...whatever it took to help him and his mother survive.

He graduated from Adamson High School in Dallas in 1952 and then graduated with a degree in architecture from Texas A&M University in 1957. After graduation, he worked briefly for Brown and Root in Houston and then moved back to Dallas and worked for Dallas Power & Light (later known as Texas Utilities) until retirement in 1992.

While he grew up in the same schools, same neighborhood, and same church with Carolyn, they did not start dating until 1959 and were married July 2, 1960. A marriage that lasted 60 years! In 1994, they moved to the beautiful countryside of Nemo, Texas, outside of Glen Rose, on the Brazos River. The house originally there on the acreage was left as a guest house, and they built their own just fifty feet away. Thousands of guests used that house and their property for camp-outs, retreats, reunions, and weekend get-aways...all at no charge. They blessed many people in this role...and in turn were richly blessed by each one who stepped foot on their property. Dad was unique...always ready to tell stories for hours on end. He loved his family and took them to many exotic places, "spending the kids inheritance" he would say to others, and we are forever grateful! He loved the outdoors, to hunt and fish, his 1978 pickup, his view of Somervell County from his house, his music, his lifelong friends, and good naps in his recliner! We will miss your stories, advice, chastising, and just simply being there for us. We love you, Dad! Memorials honoring his life can be sent to the charity of your choice.