Karl Michael Moline, 51, of Lakeland, FL passed in his sleep on September 11th of an apparent heart attack.

Karl, an Eagle Scout, graduated from South Lakes High School, Reston, VA and studied at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Karl always knew that he wanted to draw comic books for a living, and had a career that encompassed working with some of the top companies in the industry, including Marvel, DC, CrossGen, and Dark Horse.  A couple of his most noteworthy creations as lead Penciller were the series Fray, working with Joss Whedon, and Route 666.

Karl was always the eternal optimist and the empathic soul of his family whom he loved profoundly. He will be deeply missed by his beloved daughter, Lily Moline of Lakeland, FL,  her mother Anna, and sister Savanna; his mother, Denise Moline of Rapid City, MI; his sister Cat Evans of San Diego, CA; and many cherished aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his dearly departed father, Ted Moline.

Karl was the person who lit up any room he walked into.  He would find a way to speak to every person there, and make them feel that talking to them had made his whole day.  He loved with his entire heart, and did his best to spread that message in his daily life.

Karl found immeasurable purpose through helping out fellow artists, championing the people he knew and worked with, and supporting whatever causes his family and friends believed in.  His presence at Comic Book Conventions earned him a following of regulars who all became friends, and his favorite thing to do were commissions for children, and helping them bring whatever their imagination could conjure to life.

While not a follower of any particular religion, Karl was a deeply spiritual person who saw the interconnectedness of everyone and everything. He always strove to put the kindness and faith in humanity that he saw in others back out into the world tenfold. A type 1 diabetic diagnosed as a teenager, his life held more health struggles than one person should have to bear, but it never soured his disposition, or his attitude, or his desire to live the most significant and full life he could. His wit and humor never wavered, and he devoted his life to always finding the silver lining of any situation.

Karl loved spending time with his daughter, the light of his life, his adored (and spoiled) cats, and he loved to be able to help out anyone he knew in need, whether with a pick up from the airport or a couch to crash on for weeks at a time.

He was a shining example of being the change you want to see in the world. His absence leaves a void in all of our hearts. We welcome all who knew him to join us in commemorating the remarkable life of Karl on Saturday, October 12th at 2:00 PM at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, 2425 Havendale Blvd. NW, Winter Haven, Florida 33881. Please arrive by 1:45 PM.

Arrangements are under the care of the Baldwin Brothers Funeral & Cremation Society. In lieu of flowers, donations in Karl's name may be made to: The Hero Initiative – www.heroinitiative.org To send a message of condolence to the family, please view the obituary at https://Baldwincremations.com .