John Dickson of Kwik Trip hangs a photo of Karl Barkow at the store Feb. 1, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
BONDUEL, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — There’s been a Kwik Trip along Highway 117 in Bonduel for 15 years.
And for that decade and a half, Karl Barkow was there every morning.
“It was just his daily hangout,” his wife, Jean, said. “He loved coffee, he loved people. It just became his spot to enjoy the morning.”
Karl would drive around Shawano Lake from his home north of Cecil to the Kwik Trip to get his morning coffee and newspaper.
“Always when he walked by, ‘hey, Karl!’ No matter what I was doing, if I was helping a guest,” said John Dickson, the store’s guest service leader.
“He acknowledged everyone. He came in, he was always happy. Always had a story to tell you, what the weather was going to be like.”
The weather was important to Karl, an avid outdoorsman. When the weather cooled, he would go ice fishing.
That’s where he was last Christmas Eve — on the ice of Lulu Lake.
“On Christmas Eve, I was here, and he came in like normal,” Dickson said. “And then Christmas Day I was here also, and he wasn’t here, so I figured he was with his family.”
There would be tragic news to come.
“We did see the news story that somebody had gone through the ice,” Dickson said. “My wife texted me and said, ‘do you know that it was Karl who went through the ice?’ It was a very sinking feeling. Surreal. And it still is.”
Dickson represented Kwik Trip at Karl’s funeral. But a few days later, he says he wanted to do more. He collected donations from co-workers and customers and had a plaque made.
On Thursday, that plaque was hung above Karl’s seat at the counter.
“It mushroomed into something that’s going to be remembered for a long time,” Dickson said. And it will be here forever.”
The ceremony was touching for Jean, who watched as the plaque went up.
“I really don’t have words. It was just absolutely wonderful. This was like a second home to him.”
A memorial to Karl, but also a tribute to the store and the feeling of community in Bonduel.
“Things happen to the families of my co-workers, it affects us. Co-workers, guests, we’re very, very in tune with how they feel. ‘Hey, you’re not looking so well today, how’s it going?’ and sit and have a talk and have a chat with someone, and it helps. It really does,” Dickson said.
“And Karl was a very good one for that. He would make anybody smile. No matter whether you’re having a bad day or not. Karl was the funny guy.”
“He was just an all-around generous guy. He enjoyed helping anyone out, talking to people,” Jean said.
And from now on, anybody who stops to get gas or a bite to eat on the way up north will find that out.
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