Koehler, Arthur Edward

Arthur Edward Koehler died Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, after a short but serious illness. Services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. Visitation will be held Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m. Interment will follow the service at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.

Born June 21, 1925, and raised in Cedar Rapids, he was the son of Arthur Koehler and Beulah Mefford Koehler. His sister, Mary Koehler, died in 2006.

Dad graduated from Wilson High in 1943 and like most boys of his generation became a soldier in World War II. He earned all five battle stars of the European Theater, was part of the D-Day invasion of Normandy and was a witness to the concentration camps at Dachau and Buchenwald.

Upon returning to Iowa in January 1946, Dad attended Coe College and married Marguerite Wennermark on Aug. 17, 1947.

After graduating from Coe, Dad taught English in State Center. Iowa, at Coe College and at Washington High in Cedar Rapids, whereas an English/Journalism teacher he helped name the new school's newspaper, “The Surveyor.”

He earned a master's degree from the University of Iowa in 1955 and was for many years a major in the Air Force Reserves.

He finished his teaching career at Wilson Middle School and retired, after which he enjoyed traveling with Mom, working in his yard and volunteering many hours at the The Heritage Agency, The Alzheimer's Association, the Cedar Rapids Public Library and St. Luke's Hospital.

After decades of minimizing his service to his country in the war, he was persuaded to accept the opportunity to travel as part of an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., on June 5, 2012.

Dad was a lifelong great and varied reader, seldom seen without a book.

He is survived by his wife, Marguerite; his children, Cheryl, Randy and Linda; nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

We thank Dad's main caregivers, Jennifer, Jo, Anne and Irma, and also Erin at St. Luke's Hospice.

He was a private, fair and honorable man, a great husband and father. We'll miss you, Dad.

Donations may be made to Camp Courageous.

Online condolences may be directed to www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.

Published Feb. 18, 2013 in The Gazette