Issue date: 2/22/07 Section: News

Media Credit: facebook.com Karl Fazli - a loyal brother and friend.

Karl Fazli, junior at Wittenberg University, was a loyal friend to the core. He loved to laugh and was a scholar by all means of the word. The news of his death last Wednesday morning shocked the entire Wittenberg community as many mourned the loss of a close friend, brother, and classmate.

Due to the unexplained death, the Springfield police are conducting a normal investigation. The university is in full cooperation with the authorities. The cause of death remains unknown at this time.

Fazli was a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, the Phi Eta Sigma honor society and an English major here at Witt. He most recently was recognized at the East Lake Division of the American Association of Geographers Conference for his paper titled "Housing Privatization: Deadlines and Difficulties in Russia." He'd also completed a three-week study tour to Russia last summer with fellow students, faculty members, along with President Erickson and his family.

"All of us in the Wittenberg family are shocked and deeply saddened by Karl's unexpected death," said Erickson, "He was a joy to be with and he will be greatly missed he added.

Not only was Karl a bright student he was a responsible and dedicated friend. Upon remembering Karl, his housemates Kris Parmley, John Frobose, Dan Vincent and close friend Ross Morrow recalled his quirky personality.

"He was unique," said Parmley, "I have longed tried to figure out how his brain worked."

At times they say Karl was soft spoken but always could provide a laugh by a random comment or funny saying.

"Karl was quiet if you didn't know him but once you got a taste of his actual personality you just had to hang out with him," said Vincent. With a contagious personality and endless good time, his friends could only laugh when thinking about the memories.

"One time Dan and Karl came back and I had this new hot sauce, the kind you are only supposed to put one drop into a whole pot of chili, and Karl put a whole puddle in his hand and ate the entire thing and his face just turned and was like "oh man.. Oh man…," Morrow laughed.

It was the little things about Karl that made him one of a kind. "All of our languages are permanently destroyed with Karl-isms" said Vincent as they each impersonated his Indiana accent and appropriated sayings that have become common among them all. Most conversations with Karl couldn't go without a shouted "EYEAA," said his friends.

Frobose remembers when he and Karl went to the Wu-Tang concert: "We were really close to Method Man, Karl really like the concert; he was a big fan of Wu-Tang." Not only was he a lover of hot sauce and Wu-Tang, Karl was a dare devil.

"We just get so bored at our house, he'd sit in a chair and hold a football and throw it up and I'd jump over the chair and him to catch it, he was always willing to have fun," Vincent added.

Karl was certainly one that could light up a room with his crazy antics, Pacers gear, and wild hair. But most importantly, the way Karl lived was exemplified through his favorite quote: "Its nice being important, but it's more important to be nice."

Karl will truly be missed, but his memory will live on. His friends had thousands of stories about the infamous "K-Faz" but his brothers all agreed with Frobose when he said, "Some say that still waters run deep and I think that holds true to Karl."

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