Carl Lawrence Lorber Jr.'s Obituary
Carl Lawrence Lorber, Jr. of Charleston, Illinois, passed away on May 5, 2025, at the age of 70. A lifelong librarian and educator, Carl dedicated his career to the service of others through libraries, mentorship, and teaching.
Born and raised in Springfield, Illinois, Carl began working at the Lincoln Library at just 16. That early experience shaped the course of his professional life. He went on to earn an MBA from the University of Illinois Springfield and a Master of Library Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Carl spent the majority of his career at Booth Library at Eastern Illinois University, where he served as Head of Reference and Business librarian. He was promoted to full professor in 1999 and retired in 2010. Through his innate generosity, empathy and professionalism, he supported generations of librarians, staff, and students. A great many of them remember him fondly for his guidance, warmth, kindness, and encouragement. (And they all have stories, ranging from hilariously funny to deeply heartwarming, to prove it!) As part of his professional contributions, Carl worked on the Art and Architecture in Illinois Libraries project, which documented public artworks displayed in libraries across the state.
Carl had a wide range of interests, including architecture, home design, popular culture, model cars, graphic novels, film, figure skating, oil painting, and collectibles. He enjoyed tennis and bowled regularly with a campus faculty league. A car enthusiast, he owned many vehicles over the years, including a 1966 Mustang and a 2000 Audi TT. He taught himself to drive a manual transmission just to drive the Audi.
As a young man, Carl played the Hammond organ semi-professionally and performed in shopping malls and other venues. He carried his appreciation for music and performance throughout his life. He was known for his sense of humor, quick wit, and ability to connect with people from all walks of life. His circle of friends spanned every stage of his life, and he maintained those relationships throughout his life. He was truly loved by all who knew him.
Carl was preceded in death by his parents, Carl Lorber and Mary O’Brien Lorber, and by his nephew James Nemecek. He is survived by his sisters, Mary Ann (James) Nemecek of Springfield and Carol (Ron) Speck of Peoria; nieces Jacqueline (Drew) Burnett, Jill (Scott) McCamant, Jennifer (Russ) Hughes, Jolene (Steve) McBride, and Angela (late Adam) Lagocki; nephews Jeffrey (Melissa) Nemecek and Jonathon Speck; great-nephews Austin and Nicholas Friedmeyer, James Nemecek, Jackson, Emmett, and Ryne McBride, and Andrew Lagocki; and great-nieces Audrey McCamant, Ava and Alaina Hughes, and Addison Lagocki.
A visitation will be held at Adams Funeral Chapel in Charleston on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 3 to 6 p.m. A graveside service will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Springfield on Friday, May 16, 2025, at 11 a.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lincoln Library Foundation, 326 S. 7th St., Springfield, IL 62701; Library Friends at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (University of Illinois Foundation, P.O. Box 734500, Chicago, IL 60673-4500); or Booth Library at Eastern Illinois University (Booth Library, 600 Lincoln Ave., Charleston, IL 61920).
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