KAREL M. WEISSBERG

WEST TREMONT – Karel M. Weissberg, gentle activist for peace and justice, died quietly Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009, after a short illness. She devoted much of her life to peace and justice causes, on the local and national level and, in her work as a massage therapist and Alexander Technique practitioner, was a generous and valued member of Mount Desert Island healing community. Born April 28, 1944, in Boston, Karel attended Radcliffe College and became a leading activist in the Civil Rights Movement at Harvard. Her civil rights work took her to Panola County, Mississippi, as well as Roxbury, Mass. After graduating from Radcliffe in 1966, Karel began to fuse her dance, theater and organizational skills in service of the Women’s Liberation Movement. In 1970, these interests combined in Earth Onion Women’s Theatre Co., a Washington, D.C., based collective organization, of which she was a founding member. In Earth Onion, she helped create performance pieces that were presented throughout the Eastern U.S. Friendships formed at this time sustained her for the rest of her life. Karel married Elliott Spiker in 1980, becoming stepmother to JoJo Rice Spiker and then mother to Sophia Rose Spiker. The family spent many summer vacations in the town of West Tremont on Mount Desert Island and when the children were grown, Karel and Elliot began to spend extended summers on Mount Desert Island, eventually leaving the Washington, D.C., area to move to West Tremont full time in 2003. Karel continued her work as a massage therapist in Southwest Harbor, retiring in 2008. Karel’s love of the outdoors – hiking, biking and kayaking was extended to interests in the sustainable agriculture movement, organic gardening and wildlife conservation. She participated in loon monitoring as part of Somes Meynell Preserve program. Karel involved herself completely in local peace, justice, human rights, health and healing networks on Mount Desert Island. She co-founded Westside Peace Group and Vigil, served on Southwest Harbor Library Women’s History Committee, taught massage classes for parents of infants, supported arts activities for children and adults, and facilitated authentic movement classes. She was a founding member of Southwest Harbor’s groups to study non-violent communication. Karel was an avid knitter and, more recently, spinner. She often delivered a pair of dramatically multi-colored, soft, warm socks to friends and acquaintances who were injured or ill. Karel had a wide circle of friends and colleagues for whom she was a creative, dedicated, and positive influence and mentor. Karel is survived by her husband, Elliott Spiker; their daughter, Sophia Spiker; stepson, JoJo Spiker and his wife, Mia Whang; and granddaughters, Tyasia Staton and Portia Nah Re Whang Spiker. There will be a memorial celebration of Karel’s life and work 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, at West Tremont Pacific Hall, Route 102, West Tremont. In lieu of flowers, Karel requested that friends who wish may make contributions in her memory to Westside Food Pantry, P.O. Box 767, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679; Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine, 170 Park St., Bangor, ME 04401; and/or Heifer International, 1 World Ave., Little Rock, AR 72202.