Obituary of Michael George Karbiner

The Life of Micael Karbiner …written by Linda Nevins

My brother, Michael Karbiner, was born in Brooklyn, New York on January 24, 1944. Michael lived at 231 Forbell Street in Brooklyn, New York with his parents, Michael and Louise Karbiner, his older sister, Arline, and his younger sister, Linda. He attended schools in Brooklyn, and after graduating from High School, he started working for Bendix in Manhattan where he met his wife, Ronnie Lipkin.

They actually saw each other on the train when heading to work one day and were attracted to each other immediately but Michael, being on the shy side, didn't strike up a conversation and they each went their own way. Then, just by chance, the next time they saw each other was at Bendix, where ironically they both worked. The rest is history.

They were married on October 11, 1970, made their residence in Howard Beach, New York and were married for 50 years prior to his wife's passing. During that time, Michael switched his profession and became a Sanitation Driver for a private Sanitation Company which he loved. They also always had a dog or two living with them, bringing love, laughter and fun to Michael. He adored each and every one of them. They were his babies. Michael loved all animals and having a dog was a must. At one time, they even had a horse which they both would ride.

Michael and Ronnie were dedicated to each other. Michael, at age 46, had a massive stroke. After months of rehab, he still did not have the use of his right side, had lost his speech and needed a brace on his right leg and needed a cane when walking. Michael went through a big life change but he never let it get him down. He was a very kind and determined person and achieved a lot more than any of the doctors thought he would.

He was able to drive, which he loved doing. He would drive to the nearby shopping center where he made many friends by greeting them with a friendly smile and gesture such as "Hey Hey" or "How are you doing?". In fact, one time when Michael went into the hospital, those who expected to see him at the shopping center and didn't, called his home # to check if he was alright.

His expressions and laugh were contagious. For the last three years, Michael experienced another big change after losing his wife. He moved from Howard Beach and came to live close to me in Georgia. Of course, his two dogs, Quincy and Tucker, made the trip with him too and he and his dogs lived in an Assisted Living/Memory Care Facility near me. He lived in his own home in NY before moving to Georgia and he was always independent in spite of his disability. However, by the time he arrived in GA, he couldn't take care of himself and needed assistance. But that didn't get him down. He was pleasant to be around, and I am so grateful for having more time with him these last three years. He looked forward to going out for lunch, and after lunch it was a must that we stop at Jeremiah's which makes delicious ice with ice cream desserts.

Michael was a very likeable and special person. He cared about people and wanted to make them laugh. During his time in Assisted Living, he made more friends. Everyone loved him including the residents and aides. He never gave anyone a hard time and enjoyed the little stuff. It didn't take much to make Michael happy. He was content with who he was and how he lived.

Michael loved "Elvis" from the time he was a teenager. He had a room in his house after he was married and was just as dedicated to Elvis. When we would go out in the car together, Elvis music had to be playing. He has a huge collection of Elvis memorabilia which he collected over the years. I took him to see the latest Elvis movie which he enjoyed tremendously. His room at the Assisted Living Place was like an Elvis museum with as many statues, plates, and pictures we could fit. After going to lunches with Michael these last few years and listening to Elvis music, he turned me into a fan of Elvis also.

I will miss my time with Michael and will miss him greatly. I feel such a loss now that he can't be here with me, but I do have the memories that I am grateful for. Michael is survived by me, his sister Linda Nevins, his brother-in-law, Joel Nevins, two nieces, Deborah Olsen and Stacey Cornman , two nephews Jeffrey Nevins and Tom Cornman. Between the nieces and nephews, there are nine children. Not sure if they would be great nieces and nephews to Michael but their names are as follow: Alyssa Olsen, Hayden Olsen, Summer Olsen, Adalynn Olsen, Haley Nevins, Taylor Nevins, Rylee Nevins, Aiden Cornman, and Kelsey Cornman.