Karl Then, 74, of Columbia, formerly of Manchester passed away unexpectedly Friday, December 27, 2019 at his home by the lake he loved so much. Born and raised in Manchester, he was the son of the late Joseph and Mary (Kozaczka) Then. At Manchester high school he was a standout athlete and excelled in both football and swimming. He went on to become a lineman with the phone company until he finished college at which point he moved to management. At 50 he happily retired from SNET after 32 years of service, a feat he was most proud of seeing as he would jokingly say he “did his best to get himself thrown out that place”. As he aged he slowed up a bit , although he was still a self proclaimed “fine tuned machine, fashion plate and sex symbol” Gone were the raucous parties ,bottles of Wild Turkey and even the little red cottage which was turned into a year-round home that he moved into 2011. He grew to enjoy fishing , boating and later on, his grand kids,car shows in the Corvette, Hershey kisses and buzzing people around on his Dodge Viper red golf cart. He was able to be persuaded into the occasional sip of Captain Morgan seeing as how he “didn’t want to forget how it tasted” He was also well known for his quick wit, his one liners , his jokes and telling people the truth which sometimes involved his lack of a filter. He would tell hilarious albeit often repeated stories (which if you knew him well, probably involved you or was about you) He truly loved Columbia lake and was active with the lake management committee in town. He would’ve given you the shirt off his back even if it was his favorite one from the 70’s. He is survived by his children James Then and his wife Sheila of Manchester, Christopher Then and his wife Leigha of Coventry; his step-daughter Teri Lupacchino and her husband Marc also of Coventry; his grandchildren Riley Then and Jordan Stratton, Ryan and Sophia Then, and Nicole May and Sarah Caldwell. Karl is also survived by his sister Susan Barone and her husband Chuck of Pennsylvania, as well as other relatives ,many close friends and that one plant in the kitchen. He was one of a kind.... In lieu of flowers please tell someone a funny story about him (they require less watering and lord knows you’ve all got one) Family and friends may call at the John F. Tierney Funeral Home, 219 West Center Street, Manchester on Saturday January 4th, from 12:00 pm. – 3:00 pm. Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family. For online condolences, please visit www.tierneyfuneralhome.com.