AnonymousBy an edhat reader
(December 19, 1951 – August 25, 2018)
Karl was born in Los Angeles, the only child of Julia Weber Lopker and Frank Jr Lopker. He grew up in Downey, California, and attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help School and Don Bosco Tech High School. He went on to receive a BS in electrical engineering from UCSB.
To support himself through college, Karl started making leather purses and sandals, selling them at the beach and craft fairs. One of his favorite memories is traveling across the U.S. in a Volkswagen van with his college friend, Jay, selling leather goods at craft fairs to pay for gas, food and lodging.
By the time Karl was 22, he had rented a space in Goleta and hired staff to make and sell his leather goods under the name Styled Steer. Styled Steer grew and began making neoprene sandals first under the name Driftwood Dan, and in 1975 incorporated as Deckers Corporation.
Today the company is known as Deckers Outdoor Corporation.
In 1979 Karl, in search of software to run Deckers, teamed with his then girlfriend and now wife, Pam Meyer, to start QAD. QAD builds software for manufacturing companies.
In 1981, Karl and Pam married and later had two children, Karl Bo and Juliana Lynn. Karl was never one to hold or play with babies, but that all changed when he had his own.
Karl was always willing to change a dirty diaper and was excited to play with Bo and Juliana. Pam and the kids were his greatest source of joy and happiness.
Above all, his fondest hope was for his family to live happy, healthy and productive lives.
Karl loved sports, particularly golf, beach volleyball and snowboarding. Over the years Karl taught many children as well as adults to snowboard and had many fun vacations hosting guests in their Mammoth Lakes home.
Karl also loved competitive games of all kinds, including foosball, ping pong, poker, and chess. Those fortunate enough to attend the Lopker Easter Day Annual Scavenger Hunt will remember the intricate set of clues Karl concocted.
Smart, strong-willed, resourceful, clever, competitive, fun — are just a few memorable traits of this amazing man. Everyone who met Karl enjoyed his larger-than-life personality.
His presence filled the room and his booming laugh will always be fondly remembered.
Karl bravely fought a 13-year battle with stage 4 prostate cancer. He has no regrets for his life well lived. He will forever live on in our hearts.
There will be a celebration of Karl’s life on Sept. 29 at 11 a.m. at QAD’s campus on Ortega Hill. Please join us.
