Karl Laubscher, 78, of Belmont, died peacefully on July 13, 2025, surrounded by family.
Karl was born on Dec. 17, 1946, to William and Florence Laubscher in Lakewood, Ohio. He attended Baldwin Wallace College as a theater major, then transferred to the Case Institute of Technology to study electrical engineering. While attending Case, Karl carpooled to class with his brother and a girl from the neighborhood, Tina Hansar. Tina and Karl started dating, then moved in together to Cambridge after college. They married in 1978.
In Cambridge, Karl and Tina made lifelong friends and grew into their careers. They moved to Belmont, where they welcomed children Emily and Andrew and settled into family life. A loving and dedicated father, Karl coached youth sports, led Cub Scout troops, and taught his kids to play the piano and bake Grandma Laubscher’s apple pie. He provided countless hours of homework help and encouraged spirited dinner table conversations about history, politics, and science. He and Tina took their kids hiking, camping, and traveling around the world. During this time, Karl also had a career building computers and later a technology services business. He loved the challenge of building something new and found great joy in his work.
After Tina died in 2012, Karl reconnected with a former colleague, Nil Akdag, who grew to become a beloved life partner. Together they shared a second chapter, introducing each other to new interests and sharing their love of concerts, plays, and travel. They explored Europe together with friends and family, enjoying yearly stays in Palm Springs and Ayvalik, Turkey. Karl and Nil forged bonds with each other’s children, relatives, and close friends and celebrated together as they became grandparents. Karl was an integral part of Nil’s family, not only for the chocolate cake he would bake for birthdays, but mostly for his kind, witty, and steadfast presence.
Karl was preceded in death by his wife, Christine (Tina) Hansar. He is survived by his children, Emily Laubscher and Andrew Laubscher; his partner, Nil Akdag; and his grandchildren, Evan Puffer, Nolan Laubscher, Kyle Puffer, and Clara Laubscher.
A celebration of life will be held on Sept. 27, 2025, at 1 p.m. at the First Church in Belmont, Unitarian Universalist, 404 Concord Ave., Belmont.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Karl’s honor to WBUR or The Nature Conservancy.
