PORT REPUBLIC, MD — A former superintendent of Somerset County Public Schools has died. Eugene “Gene” Karol, who served from 1975 to 1980 and then headed to Calvert County to serve as superintendent until 1993, died Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2007 at age 83.

The Pennsylvanian graduated from the University of Maryland in 1955 and received his master’s in educational administration in 1964 from Western Maryland College, now McDaniel College. He earned his doctorate in education in 1975 from Nova Southeastern University.

In his daily post to Facebook followers, Somerset County Superintendent of Schools John Gaddis noted that his father Robert Gaddis was superintendent in Worcester County the same time “Mr. Gene” was leading Somerset schools. “Dr. Karol set the standard for superintendents in the State of Maryland,” Dr. John Gaddis wrote.

During his administration of Calvert County schools, Dr. Karol rose the system from 12th to second place in state testing. He also was a past Superintendent of the Year.

Dr. Gaddis said “Mr. Gene” as he knew him “was the first person I called” to talk about his interview in Somerset County. “He always thought positively of his time in Somerset and was a dear family friend,” and Dr. Karol was the first person to call Dr. Gaddis when it was announced he was moving from to Somerset County.

In addition to serving as the superintendent, Dr. Karol was a Calvert County school board member from 2007-2014 serving three years as president. He had filed to run in 2016 but withdrew early that year. He was an active Rotarian.

Services are scheduled 11 a.m. today (Feb. 1) at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Prince Frederick with interment to follow in the church cemetery. Donations in Dr. Karol’s memory may be directed to in care of the Rotary Club of Prince Frederick, P. O. Box 1339, Prince Frederick MD 20678. Rausch Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.