Karl Wolter

Stoughton- Karl Erich Wolter, age 90, passed away on April 5, 2021.  Born to German immigrants; Erich and Anna Wolter on November 8, 1930 in the Bronx, NYC.  Attended Local public schools and graduated from De Witt Clinton HS in 1948.  Spent a number of years in Manhattan retail businesses.  Accepted a US Army commission at Ft. Benning Ga with further training at the Medical Service Center in San Antonio TX. Served as Administrative Officer in a MASH Unit during the Korean Conflict 1951-1952.  Upon release from active duty attended SUNY/Syracuse University from 1953 to 1958, graduating in Wood Technology and plant Physiology.  Also involved in wildlife studies at the Huntington Wildlife Forest in upstate New York and the Forest Service Genetics Institute in Rhinelander Wis.  A scholarship at the University of Wisconsin, Madison resulted in a PhD in 1964 in Botany, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry.  Prior to graduation was hired in 1962 by the Forest Products Laboratory USDA in Madison Wis. as a Research Scientist Physiologist and worked at developing a tissue culture system for the propagation of superior tree species from single cell cultures.  Sabbaticals = Iowa State University, and Tsukuba University in Japan where he was a recipient of a Japanese Science Award 1982-1983 for his work investigating Enzymes as determinants of growth potentials.  In 1980 he was assigned the leadership of the Biodegradation Project till his retirement in 1986 after which he continued to do research in Plant Physiology at the Univ of Wis. Madison for several years.  Following his retirement Karl resided with his longtime partner Patrick Comfert on their picturesque property and hobby farm near Cooksville Wisconsin where Karl continued to demonstrate his love of nature by planting many wonderful trees and gardens as well as assisting Patrick with the farm animals and the hobby of wildlife rehabilitation in which he helped care for everything from deer to eagles.  Karl and Patrick were married on January 12th 2019. Tying the knot after 30 years of partnership.  Karl was preceded in death by his parents Erich and Ann Wolter and his sister Irene Schelshorn.  He is survived by his husband Patrick Comfert, his niece Christine Schelshorn (James Danky) and great nephew Matthew Danky of Stoughton Wisconsin, and his niece Barbra (Walter) Patterson of Evansville Indiana, and their family Sally and Craig Ostrom, Olivia and Kirsten.

Please share your memories of Karl by posting on his Tribute Wall.

Cress Funeral Service

206 W. Prospect Street, PO Box 231, Stoughton

(608) 873-9244