The wake for Father William D. Karg, senior priest-retired, will begin at 3 p.m. April 23 at St. Sebastian Church 476 Mull Ave., Akron. Bishop Edward Malesic will preside at vespers at 6 p.m. with Father William Thaden as the homilist. The wake will continue until 8 p.m.
Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Roger Gries will be the main celebrant at Father Karg’s funeral Mass at 10 a.m. April 24 at St. Sebastian Parish. Father Philip Racco will be the homilist.
Father Karg, 82, died on April 18.
He was born to the late Frank and Agnes (Graf) Karg on June 23, 1938. Father Karg was educated at St. Sebastian School, Akron; Borromeo High School, Wickliffe; Borromeo College, Wickliffe; St. Meinrad Seminary, St. Meinrad, Indiana; and Saint Mary Seminary, Cleveland.
Bishop Floyd Begin ordained him to the priesthood on May 23, 1964 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.
Father Karg’s first assignment was as parochial vicar of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Cleveland. In June 1968, he began studies at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and served as parochial vicar at Epiphany Parish in Cleveland. During this assignment, Father Karg served as assistant to the director of programs for drug abuse, Diocese of Cleveland Youth Department, effective June 8, 1970.
On Dec. 2, 1971, Father Karg was appointed administrator of Epiphany Parish in Cleveland and he was named pastor on Feb. 1, 1975. He was appointed administrator of St. Catherine Parish in Cleveland on Jan. 28, 1977. Father Karg was a member of the Mt. Pleasant Corlett Team Ministry, effective July 1, 1977.
He was relieved of work at Epiphany on June 29, 1979 and was appointed pastor in residence at the Pontifical North American College in Rome for the 1979-1980 school year.
On July 15, 1982, Father Karg was named pastor of St. Henry Parish in Cleveland. During this assignment, he also was named chaplain of Archbishop Lyke Elementary School in Cleveland, effective March 30, 1994.
Father Karg was named pastor of St. Sebastian Parish in Akron on March 13, 1995, where he served until his retirement on June 23, 2008. After retirement, he served as administrator of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Macedonia from Sept. 8, 2010 to Nov. 24, 2010.
Those who knew him said Father Karg will be remembered as a joyful priest and a well-loved pastor and friend.
Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery in Akron.