When he wasn’t working his business, Carl’s Body Shop, Carl was frequently volunteering and visiting with friends around town. He was well-known in Cotati and contributed much to the city. Carl passed away on Sept. 4. He was 85 years old.   

Carl’s Body Shop was his pride and joy. He started it in 1963, sixty years ago. He ran an honorable shop, providing service to those in need and a warm welcome to all.  

He was generous with his time and philanthropy. In his younger years he enjoyed riding motorcycles around the developing town. A friend, Terry Dutra, addressed him as Uncle Carl “because he was Just like an uncle to everyone.” The name stuck and some still call him Uncle Carl, which he enjoyed. 

Carl loved to laugh, and he never failed to light up a room with his larger-than-life personality. If he was in the room, people knew it. “A really good guy,” his friends said.  

He always volunteered for City events like Kid’s Day parade. At the Cotati Historical Society-sponsored Chicken BBQ he would bring his older vehicles to show off during the vintage car shows.  Carl was also very civic minded and attended various city Council meetings over the years to share his thoughts on different topics. “They were always appreciated,” said John DellOsso, former member of the Council. 

Generous to a fault, he did much to support the community he loved, and he did it quietly and with a humble nature.  When the local Co-Op Nursery School needed support, he jumped right in and was instrumental in raising money for them. Carl was voted Citizen of the Year, in 2001 a well-deserved honor. 

Prior to his passing, Carl expressed his wish for a private family service. Click here to read the words of his friends and acquaintances and to leave your own. 

-Written by Susan Kashack