Karen Aileen Merkel 1943–2020 Karen Merkel will be missed by many friends and family. Karen passed away at Los Alamitos Medical Center on July 24, 2020, of non-COVID related reasons. Karen was born along with her “womb-mate” Kurtis on June 18, 1943, in Bismarck, North Dakota. She said that it was fun growing up with a twin brother, giving “double-trouble” to their mother who often said, “What one twin didn’t think of doing mischievously, the other one did!” At the age of 15, while attending her second confirmation class at House of Prayer Lutheran Church in Bismarck, North Dakota, a miracle and a mystery happened simultaneously: Karen received Jesus into her heart as her Lord and savior, which truly was a miracle. When the pastor asked Karen to read the three Scripture texts in that confirmation class (Isaiah 6:1-8, Romans 10:13-17 and Matthew 28:16-20), a mystery happened, and she immediately received a missionary calling. After finishing her formal education which included Bismarck High School, Bismarck Junior College, Dickinson State College and attending Northern Illinois University and the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, she was ready to begin her missionary career, which spanned over 50 years. On March 31, 1968, Karen was commissioned at the House of Prayer Lutheran Church in Bismarck, North Dakota to serve as a Lutheran missionary in South America. She studied Spanish in Costa Rica, spent four years in Uruguay with the former Lutheran Church in America and nine years in Bolivia with the World Mission Prayer League. In November 1976, at the age of 33, while serving in Bolivia, Karen was stricken with breast cancer, which resulted in a radical mastectomy that was performed in Bismarck. Four months to the day after her surgery, she returned to Bolivia with her chemotherapy in her suitcase. That year, she wrote a book about her cancer experience titled, “Jesus Can Put it all Together.” Karen worked five more years in Bolivia, and then, because of declining health, she returned to the U.S. After doing parish ministry in Central California, Emanuel Lutheran Church in San Jose and St. Luke Lutheran Church in Sunnyvale, where she met her best friend, Sue Hutchins, Karen returned to missionary service in October 1987. She set up an office in Anaheim and became the Pacific Southwest (PSW) regional coordinator for the World Mission Prayer League (WMPL) for 30 years. At the time, Karen became a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Huntington Beach, where the beloved Paul Johnsen, a former missionary to Japan, was pastor. After moving to Leisure World in 2012, Karen often attended Redeemer Lutheran Church of Leisure World and enjoyed their Wednesday Bible studies. She was also honored to occasionally be invited to preach at Redeemer. One of Karen’s favorite ministries serving as PSW coordinator was to travel around the world, visiting the work of the WMPL, ministering to and encouraging the missionaries. Her friend Sue was always her traveling companion, helping the missionaries and the nationals with their computer needs. In 1995, Karen was diagnosed with heart disease that included two open heart surgeries and a 45 minute cardiac arrest. By 1996, she was heading toward a heart transplant until she received a second opinion, changed cardiologists, and started a new regimen of medications and cardiac rehab. She never let her heart condition deter her from her ministry with the WMPL. Some of her favorite activities were nurturing her friends, preaching, visiting U.S. national parks, photography and watching baseball. Karen would ask you a question today: “Now that I am in heaven, who will take my place to share God’s love around the world? If not YOU, then WHO, if not NOW, then WHEN?” Karen was preceded in death by her father, Chris Merkel; her mother, Esther Zeiszler; her sister and brother-in-law Marlene and Richard Mallett; her “womb-mate” twin brother, Kurtis Merkel, and her brother-in-law Ralph Eck. She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law Lorna and Paul Wohnoutka; sister Bernice Eck; her sister-in-law Lois Merkel; and her special friend Sue Hutchins. Her Service of Committal was held on Dec. 18, 2020 ,at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Sunnyvale. The service was held outside with social distancing because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her ashes are stored in a niche of a columbarium at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Sunnyvale. A memorial service for Karen will be held at Grace Lutheran Church in Huntington Beach on Saturday, April 9, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the World Mission Prayer League at www. wmpl.org in memory of Karen Merkel. —Paid obituary

••• Lois Campbell Celebration of Life All are invited to Lois Campbell’s celebration of life service on Sunday, April 10, from noon-3 p.m. in Clubhouse 1. The family requests people wear bright, colorful clothes at the service to celebrate Lois’ bright and cheerful spirit. People are invited to write something about Lois, what she taught them or a special memory about her with their name on it to share. For more information, contact Jim Campbell at (562) 619-2462.

Robert Milton Slater Jr. 1932-2022 Bob Slater passed into eternity on Sunday, March 6. Even in his final illness, he did not look his age and still had a full head of hair. His hospice nurse marveled at his appearance and expressed jealousy over his beautiful, silver mane. Bob was a native of Long Beach, a rarity even in these times. He was born in 1932 to Robert Milton Slater Sr. and Olivia Slater. Bob is survived by his wife of 19 years, Rabbi-Cantor Galit-Shirah Levy-Slater; a sister, Marilyn Schlim of Sweet Home, Oregon; a son, Robert Arthur Slater, and his wife, Lynne Gale; two beautiful and talented granddaughters, Jazzie Miranda of Dallas, Texas, and Jenae Slater; and two greatgranddaughters, Prinstyn and Blakelyn Miranda. As a child, Bob’s father would take him on his rounds to various South Bay markets where he sold cigarettes, and sit him on the counter, and Bob would sing for his father’s clients. He grew into a handsome teenager and attended Long Beach Poly, he studied opera. He was a tenor. One of his fellow classmates was Marilyn Horne, with whom he sang duets. Bob was married right out of high school and although he continued to sing, he realized he didn’t have the requisite “high C” to be able to have an operatic career, so he joined what eventually became the Long Beach Civic Light Opera Company, performing leads in virtually every production. Although music and theater fed his soul, Bob knew he needed to also feed his growing family. He was a young, cocky man who looked even younger than his years, and he became a brilliant salesman, rising rapidly in the food business in Southern California. Bob now had two rambunctious sons, Bob and Gary, and the family was living in a new housing tract in Westminster. He discovered he was an incredibly gifted director in addition to his affinity for performing in musical theater. He founded the Westminster Community Theater, where he directed and often starred in all of the productions, drawing his neighbors into the shows he put on. He was also very active in the Westminster American Little League. He helped build the field that still exists behind Westminster High School and coached many Little Leaguers who still call him “their coach.” Bob left the food business and went into selling insurance. He rose to management as quickly as he had everything else in his life, and he remained there until, at age 58, after a second divorce, he decided that Leisure World was indeed the best-kept secret in Southern California. His mother lived in Leisure World as well and loved it, and Bob, married now to his third wife, became a happy resident as well. Bob’s third marriage did not last, but Bob discovered a burgeoning need for entertainment in the community. With a fellow thespian in 1991, he formed “Imagination Theater,” which eventually became the Leisure World Theater Club. Once again, Bob was directing and starring in its musical productions. In 1994, Bob was invited to a concert for Congregation Sholom of Leisure World, performed by its new cantor, Galit Levy. Galit eventually bought a unit in Leisure World and joined the Theater Club. Bob and Galit became friends, and Bob invited her to perform with him in his production of “Carousel,” which both of them had performed over the years. When the show was over, Bob asked Galit if she would like to be his singing partner, performing duets from musicals in costume, changing behind a shoji screen. The act was called “Duets & Other Good Stuff” and they performed for clubs in Leisure World, on cruise ships and all over Southern California. It was Bob’s suggestion to have as a signature song “All I Ask of You” from “Phantom of the Opera.” It was the song that made Galit fall in love with him, and they were married in March 2003. They never stopped being in love. In fact, when Bob was in hospice, Galit sang every duet they ever did together and their signature song was the song she sang as he took his final breath. Although Bob was not Jewish, he attended every Friday night service with Galit to support her; when she became a rabbi, he asked, “What do they call the spouse of a woman rabbi?” She told him, “Lucky.” Bob Slater lived in Leisure World for 28 years, and in that time, he gained the love and respect of everyone with whom he came in contact. He was president of the Video Producers Club, the Theater Club, the Community Sing Mutual 4, and even when he voiced his disagreement with decisions made by the Golden Rain Foundation and the Leisure World administration, he still was considered one of the most respected members of the entire Leisure World community. There will be a Celebration of Life on March 31 at 4 p.m. in Clubhouse 2, to which all of Leisure World is invited.