Ride in Peace: Kari Prager (click here)
Publish date: Nov 17, 2010
Kari Prager, longtime owner of California BMW and Triumph in Mountain View, passed away at his home unexpectedly on Sunday. He was 63.
Family and friends were shocked at his passing. Prager owned the dealership for 29 years, and opened Tri-City Motors in Livermore two years ago.
Prager served as a member of the Dealernews editorial advisory board for two years.
"I think everyone here was shocked to hear about his death," sales consultant Arlie Ray Blackshear told the Mountain View Voice. He added that Prager showed no signs of ill health in the days before his death.
"He loved having people enjoy their bikes after they bought them," his wife Gail told the newspaper. "Some people, they buy the bike and they don't have anyone to ride with them. People would meet each other this way. He was a community builder. He loved it."
Prager retired a few years ago from running the day-to-day business, while Gail continued to run it.
"A big part of his life was opening that shop and growing it, seeing it through hard times and good times," his widow said. "We have many employees who have been there 10 to 20 years. It feels like a family. That was very important to him."
The preliminary cause of death is a respiratory infection and Gail Prager says he had been suffering a nagging respiratory condition for some time.
Other survivors are their two daughters, Kristin Prager and Maya Nolan and her husband Seamus Nolan.
Check calmoto.com for information about memorial services, still pending, and a tribute ride for Prager.
Posted by Holly Wagner
