This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Karakozoff Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/YW.2ADI/5670 Message Board Post: >From the Press Democrat, The (Santa Rosa, CA), dated March 6, 2004, City edition, page B2 MICHAEL KARAKOZOFF Memorial services are today for Michael Paul Karakozoff, a Cotati developer who strived to enhance the city's small-town rural character through his building projects. Karakozoff died Feb. 12 at his brother's home in McLean, Va., following a two-year battle with cancer. He was 58. Today's memorial services are at 3 p.m. at the Quail Inn, 7025 Oakmont Drive in Santa Rosa. A Sonoma County resident for more than 20 years, Karakozoff spent the past five months on the East Coast, where he was in an experimental cancer treatment program at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. Although Karakozoff made his home in Santa Rosa, his development projects were centered in Cotati, where he developed a vision for the small town and what it should be. Karakozoff was known for his tiny subdivisions with two-story, craftsman-style homes with old-fashioned front porches. He preferred developing small parcels, 2 acres or less, where he could ''in-fill'' urban spaces with homes, offices and town houses that enhanced Cotati's character. ''Michael earned a reputation for doing thoughtful, quality development projects. He really was cognizant of Cotati's small-town feel, and with every development project wanted to make the town a better place,'' said his brother, Alex Karakozoff of Virginia. In a 1992 newspaper interview, Karakozoff discussed his development philosophy after completing a small, mixed-used development called Sycamore Grove off East Cotati Avenue. The project, combining commercial and residential units on a 1.5-acre site, won accolades as an architectural gem. ''I prefer projects that utilize land that isn't farmland, land that is not changing the basic structure of the county,'' Karakozoff said. Born in Los Angeles, Karakozoff was raised in San Francisco, attending Abraham Lincoln High School. He graduated from the University of Hawaii. Karakozoff was an inveterate sportsman, master kayaker, golfer and sailor. He was a world traveler, especially interested in the Far East and its culture. He also volunteered in the Big Brothers program. A man of quiet dignity, Karakozoff had a large circle of friends who valued his kindness and loyalty. Although married earlier in his life, he had been divorced for many years, living an active life filled with work, travel, sports and friends. ''Everyone really liked Michael. He was very caring, kind and gracious,'' said friend Linda Bergmann of Santa Rosa. In addition to his brother, he is survived by his mother, Christina Karakozoff of Cotati, and two nieces. The family suggests memorial contributions to Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Sonoma County, 5685 Redwood Drive, Suite 201, Rohnert Park 94928. ================================ SSDI: MICHAEL P KARAKOZOFF 11 Dec 1945 12 Feb 2004 (P) (72) (none specified) 564-72-8739 California