David O. Karraker

PORTLAND – David Karraker passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024 at Gosnell Hospice House two weeks after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, with his wife of 52 years, Colleen Khoury, holding his hand. David had a long and full life filled with interesting work, a loving family, a wide circle of friends, and many interests and passions.

David was born in Highland Park, Ill. on July 22, 1937 to Margaret and James Karraker. He grew up in Winnetka, Ill. and attended New Trier High School. When he was 18, he married his first wife, Beverly Kroll. By the time he graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point in 1961, he was the father of two beloved sons, David James Karraker and Joel Brian Karraker.

After what for him was a mercifully brief career in banking, David took a different tack, seeking out jobs in which he felt he could make a difference. In 1960s through the early 1970s, David worked for organizations in Chicago devoted to civil rights and social justice including the Chicago Commission on Human Relations where he pursued relief for those experiencing discrimination in housing and health care; the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150, where he directed an initiative to recruit and train underrepresented minorities to operate heavy construction equipment which enabled them to be hired for the high-paying jobs from which they had been excluded; and the Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities where David developed and led a then-novel project to provide free civil legal services to Blacks and others facing discrimination in the housing market. He also served for seven years as Director of Organization Planning at the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago.

In 1984, David and Colleen moved to Portland where they had vacationed for many years. He joined the Muskie School of Public Service at University of Southern Maine as a research associate where he provided contracted and grant-funded evaluation and strategic planning support to government agencies, non-profit organizations, and foundations across the U.S., with special focus on child welfare, the arts and cultural policy. After retiring from Muskie in 2000, David continued to work as an independent strategic planning and policy consultant for non-profits, including the Cultural Policy Center at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy Studies.

David had a great passion for the arts of all kinds. He was a voracious reader and a gifted writer. Several of his short stories were published in noted literary journals. David, his brother, John, and John’s songwriting partner wrote an original country western musical, “The Magnolia Club”, that was presented at Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theater in 1974 to critical acclaim. The play was revived in 1980 for a run at the Playhouse at Chicago’s McCormick Place. In 2003, David published a novel, “Running in Place”, which chronicles the lives of a young married couple.

David inherited his parents’ passion for classical music and for jazz. His tastes in music were eclectic and his knowledge of the classical and jazz repertoire was extensive. He came to rock music later in life, primarily through the Beatles. David played the trumpet in high school and took it up again in his 40s. He continued to take lessons through the years, focusing first on classical music, and more recently on blues and jazz. Over the years, David served on the Boards of the Portland Concert Association (now Portland Ovations), the Portland Chamber Music Festival, and the Portland Conservatory of Music.

After he fully retired in 2005, David turned his attention to the fine arts. He studied art history for several years at USM and took photography and drawing courses at MECA. He was a docent at the Portland Museum of Art, and for the last decade, delivered art presentations on a wide range of art and artists at retirement communities in the Portland area, including 75 State Street, Oceanview, Cedars, and Falmouth House.

David was a fervent baseball fan, rooting in his younger years for the St. Louis Cardinals and his hero, Stan Musial, and later for the Chicago White Sox, who rewarded him for his dedication by winning the World Series in 2006. He and Colleen loved to travel and explore new places. Over the years, they traveled to many countries in Europe, to Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Central and South America and reveled in each and every trip.

David was incredibly witty and had a wonderful and irreverent sense of humor, providing his friends and family with years of laughter and wonderful limericks. He was a generous and compassionate man and had a great capacity for friendship.

In addition to his wife, Colleen Khoury, and his sons David (Sue) and Joel (Rose), he is survived by his sister, Jean McGonigle; four grandchildren, Troy, Bryan, Shelby and Michael Karraker; six great-grandchildren Abigail, Dylan, Logan, Jude, Zach and Hunter Karraker; his niece, Gretchen Bakke; his sisters-in-law Amelia Khoury and Susan Hunnell; and his honorary niece and nephew, Mira and Ari Krivoshey.

He was predeceased by his parents; and his brother, John.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Gosnell Hospice House for the extraordinary care and support they provided to David and Colleen in the last two days of his life. Their efforts allowed him to die peacefully and without pain.

A celebration of David’s life will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 11 a.m. at the Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St.

In lieu of flowers, donations in David’s memory may be made to the Southern Poverty Law Center, or to one of the music organizations that David loved: the Portland Chamber Music Festival, the Portland Conservatory of Music or the Portland Symphony Orchestra.