Karl Allen Utrecht

Karl Allen Utrecht, 90, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, passed away on June 29, 2026.

Karl was born on May 8, 1936, in New Albany, Indiana, to Norris and Ruth (Allen) Utrecht. From an early age, he was driven by curiosity and a love of creating, building, and understanding how things worked. Winning the 1950 New Albany Soapbox Derby at age 13 foreshadowed a lifelong fascination with vehicles of every kind.

Karl loved things with wheels. Throughout his life he owned, upgraded, bought, sold, and admired what seemed like countless bicycles, cars, and scooters. He could recall the make, model, color, and quirks of nearly every one he owned, and he was always ready to tell the story when asked (or test drive a new one).

His adventurous spirit extended far beyond the road. In his fifties, Karl turned his attention to learning to fly planes and once built an ultralight aircraft in the middle of his living room. Fortunately for his family that was a short-lived endeavor. His flight instructor kept crashing the training plane and from then on Karl decided flying of any kind might not be for him. While swimming was never high on his list of favorite activities, he loved being on the water. Some of the family's favorite memories were made sailing, paddling, rowing, or being towed behind his speed boat on Indian Lake in Vicksburg, MI, where Karl never passed up the opportunity to test his children's grip on the tube.

Karl's life could have taken a very different path. Originally planning to become a dentist, he made the courageous decision to follow his heart instead, transferring to Michigan State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. That decision shaped a remarkable creative career spanning decades.

Professional highlights include an early stint working for Kenner Toys in Cincinnati, where he helped design the first prototype of the iconic Easy-Bake Oven in the 1960s. He later founded Karl Utrecht Designs, where among other things he created and produced distinctive children's mobiles that reflected his imagination and craftsmanship. He was also a long-time employee of The Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he served as an Art Director and eventually led the department's creative efforts, retiring after helping guide the company through its merger with Pharmacia.

Music remained one of Karl's greatest joys throughout his life. He sang with the Kalamazoo Bach Festival Chorus, delighted his children by effortlessly reaching the impossibly low notes in Harry Chapin's "30,000 Pounds of Bananas," played a banjo (one he built himself) and, in recent years, embraced the ukulele. As a proud member of the Las Cruces Ukulele Performance Group, he found not only another instrument to master but also a wonderful community of friends and, naturally, several beautiful ukuleles that somehow found their way into his ever-growing collection.

Karl never stopped learning. Whether he was researching a new hobby, mastering a new skill, or simply asking thoughtful questions, his curiosity remained one of his defining traits. He approached the world with an open mind which he kept (along with his sense of humor) until the very end.

In the early 2000s, Karl and his wife, Roberta, retired to Las Cruces, New Mexico, where they built a life filled with music, projects, beloved pets, wonderful friends, and the southwestern sunsets they came to love. Las Cruces is where Karl’s love of scooters took shape, and he could often be found tooling around the Mesilla Valley or heading up the road to Hatch, the wind at his back and a smile on his face until just shy of his 86th birthday.

Those who knew Karl will remember his quiet kindness, remarkable creativity, mischievous sense of humor, on point sartorial style, and his unmistakable habit of saying "By golly" with complete sincerity.

Karl is survived by the love of his life and wife of more than 34 years, Roberta Utrecht; his children, Lisa Rogers of Belleville, Michigan, Mark Utrecht of Carriere, Mississippi, Beth Utrecht of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Erik (Allison) Utrecht of Luther, Michigan, and Kristen Utrecht of Denver, Colorado; his sister, Sandra Carter of New Albany, Indiana; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and extended family and dear friends.

In accordance with his wishes, no formal services will be held at this time. Karl’s final music recommendation is to check out the Dixieland band Tuba Skinny. His family encourages you to pick your favorite song to play in his honor and know he’s somewhere in the universe, tapping his toes along.