Obituary - Robert Koehler
Robert William (Bob) Koehler
Robert William (Bob) Koehler passed away peacefully at his home in St. George, Utah on February 7, 2007.
We thank God for the gift of experiencing this loving man in our lives. As he grew older, he became ever gentler, more forgiving, and wise.
He was born in Scotland, Texas on September 7, 1925, to William J. & Mary Therese (Richter) Koehler. He was the youngest of eight children. There were four sisters between him and his three older brothers. The sisters fought for him, clobbering the kids with their lunch boxes. After his sisters went on to junior high and high school, he learned quickly that he had to fight his own battles.
During his school years he worked on the Koehler farm as well as the neighbor's farms, following the threshing machine and hoisting bales of hay. He graduated from grade school at St. Boniface School in Scotland, Texas and then graduated from St. Mary's High School in Windthorst in 1943, where he was valedictorian of the school's largest graduating class to date - eleven students.
He enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps on August 2, 1944. After Boot Camp, he wanted desperately to be a fighter pilot, but during physical exams they discovered he was color blind, which made him ineligible to fly. He graduated from boot training with expert medals for the M-1 Rifle, Browning automatic rifle, and 30- and 50- caliber machine guns. He served in Saipan and Okinawa. On the way to Saipan, his ship zigzagged all the way to avoid Japanese submarines. Then in March 1945, he boarded a ship and headed for Okinawa. The goal was to hit Okinawa on Easter Sunday morning, 1945. Several hours before he was supposed to board the landing craft, his ship was hit and disabled by a kamikaze plane. For seven days, they were sitting ducks for other kamikaze planes overhead until another ship unloaded and returned to tow them in to Okinawa by landing craft. From there, he fought and drove tank on Okinawa day and night until the war's end.
After returning home, he married Margaret Ann Andis and had two children, Robert William, Jr. and Elizabeth Jeanne. They were divorced in 1971.
Bob loved flying and owned a Stearman plane for a number of years. He spent many happy hours in the air, doing stunts, buzzing the cattle and "rolling" his Stearman.
His favorite sport was baseball. He played all through his school years After returning from the service, he played on the Yankees farm team; however, when he learned that his father was dying of prostate cancer, he left baseball and returned home to assist his mother on the farm.
In 1963 Bob went to work for Union Oil Company in Phoenix, Arizona. In this position he was transferred to Casper, Wyoming and then to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he met and married Carol J. Koehler. He retired in 1990 after 27 years with Union Oil.
Carol and Bob spent many happy hours on their boat "Sweet Caroline" fishing for Kokanee salmon on Flaming Gorge, in northeastern Utah and southwest Wyoming.
Bob was a gifted and talented man. He built much of the furniture and decorative items in Bob and Carol's home. Each member of the family has something in their homes that he had crafted by hand.
In 1993 Bob and Carol, tired of the deep snow and inversions in Salt Lake and moved to St. George. Bob enjoyed the many years he served as an usher in the Catholic Church.
Bob is survived by his wife, Carol, St. George, UT; his children, Robert and fiance Shannan Dunlap of Kalispell, MT.; Betty and husband Ray Moore of Las Vegas, NV; his sisters, Margie Zimlich of Washington, Florene Thoele of Texas, and Dottie Aaron of Georgia. His stepchildren, Paula Williams of Anchorage, AK; Laurel and husband Rohn Losser of Washington, UT; and Stacy Williams of Phippsburg, CO. Also his grandchildren Bobby Koehler of Las Vegas,; Brandon Koehler of Kalispell, Mt.; Cody Koehler of Beaver, Ut; Justin Pulsipher and his wife Tracey of Las Vegas, Nv and Riana Pulsipher of Las Vegas, Nv. He had two great grandsons who he treasured - Tristan K. Pulsipher of Las Vegas, Nv and Landon B. Koehler of Kalispell, Mt. He was preceded in death by his brothers Hubert, Ray, and Jim Koehler; his sister Alice Reichert; and his grandson, Travis Koehler, who passed away on Friday, February 2, 2007 to take his grandfathers hand and lead him to the gates of Heaven. He also had a "second daughter" Harriet, his beloved Griffon.
Robert was a member of the Elks & the Knights of Columbus. His wishes were that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Association.
Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, February 10, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. at the St. George Catholic church. Services are under the direction of Heideman Mortuary.
Originally published February 9, 2007