John Edward Karras
1961 -2025
 | John Edward Karras, age 63, Long Beach, California, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes on January 20, 2025. He was preceded in death by his parents, Toby Ann (Miller) and Edward James Karras. He is survived by his beloved daughter, Sage, his sister Joanne, nephews Jack and Joshua and niece Jennifer. John left behind many adoring friends, colleagues, former students, and fans of his Long Beach business, Retro Stereo.
John was born and raised in Ohio. He earned his doctorate in higher education from The Ohio State University in 1990, where he became a devoted Buckeyes fan. After moving to California in 1992, he served in various roles at Chapman University and in the CSU system before founding Retro Stereo in 2005, combining his entrepreneurial spirit with his love of music. In 2008, John welcomed his daughter Sage, the light of his life, whom he encouraged in all her artistic and extracurricular pursuits.
Known for his expansive record collection and exquisite taste in music, John was also a passionate concert-goer. His musical tastes were diverse, loving classic rock, jazz, blues and everything in between. His infamous storytelling elicited both groans and genuine laughter. He was a generous gift giver and donated time and money to worthy causes. John, the father, the mentor, the friend will be dearly missed.
A private memorial service will be held at McKenzie Mortuary Services. An all-welcome celebration of life will be hosted at Urban Americana at 1345 Coronado Avenue in Long Beach on February 22, 2025 from 7 to 9pm. In lieu of flowers, donations to support his daughter’s college education are encouraged through a GoFundMe campaign titled, “Support Sage’s Art Dreams After Dad’s Passing.”
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