Carla F. Kappler

Carla Ferrari Kappler died Monday, April 25, 2022 at Palouse Hill Assisted Living in Moscow. She was  94.

Carla Ferrari Kappler was born on December 4, 1927, the only child to Valentina and Italo Ferrari in Parma, Italy where Carla spent the years before, during and after WWII. 

Artistic from an early age, Carla attended the Academia Belle Arti and Accademia di Brera in Milan where she earned a degree in painting and theater set design. In 1955, Carla met Richard (Dick) Kappler, an American foreign language professor, in Viareggio, Italy. After a lengthy period of letter writing and translation, they married. For a time, they lived in Paris before settling in Moscow, where Dr. Kappler had accepted a position in the Foreign Language Department at the University of Idaho teaching French and Russian.

Carla began her life as an American and eventually became mother to three children, Irina, Christopher and Victoria. After teaching in Victoria, B.C., Dr. Kappler accepted a position at WSU teaching Russian, and the family settled in Moscow. Carla also taught very popular Italian classes at WSU.

Always busy, Carla bound rare books for the Washington State University Library, earned a Masters Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Idaho, participated in student-centered religious activities at St. Augustine Catholic Church and designed a chapel for student use. She also supported the Moscow Food Bank, St. Vincent De Paul charities, The Latah County Human Rights Commission and organizations promoting humanitarian causes and social justice. Carla was honored for her dedication to the community with a bench in Friendship Square. Carla especially enjoyed time with family and friends, traveling in and out of the country, watercolor painting, participating in art shows, movies, music, socializing and cooking. The latter was especially appreciated by guests who enthusiastically applauded Carla’s remarkable culinary skill.

She is survived by her children, Irina (Nick) Crookston in Madrid, Spain, Chris (Karen) Kappler in Moscow and Vicki (Mike) Young of Dallas, Texas along with 8 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1983 and her parents.

A rosary will be recited at 9:30 A.M. on Saturday, April 30th at St. Augustines Catholic Church, followed by the Funeral Mass at 10:00 A.M. A luncheon and time of remembering will be at St. Augustine’s Family Center afterward.

The family suggests the memorials be made to St. Augustine’s Catholic Church or to St. Vincent de Paul.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Carla F. Kappler, please visit our floral store.