Gerald "Gary" Kohles
March 11, 1942 — April 28, 2014
Gerald “Gary” Joseph Kohles was born on March 11, 1942 to Delbert and Celestine (Arkfeld) Kohles in Chicago, Illinois. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Panama, Iowa and graduated from St. Mary’s High School with the Class of 1960.
On April 15, 1963, Gary was united in marriage to Beverly Huebner at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. There were four children born to them: Lisa, Lori, Mary Jo, and Marvin.
Gary worked as a road inspector for the Shelby County Roads Department for many years as well as running a barber shop until 2013. He held many different titles over the years: Butcher, Fire Chief for the Portsmouth Volunteer Fire Department, Egg Delivery Man, and Councilman. He also enjoyed the titles of Coach, Gatekeeper, Tab Puller, Gutter Cleaner, Grill Specialist, and Fan but his favorite titles were Grandfather, Father, and Husband.
He loved to volunteer his time to different organizations, was a 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, and had donated twenty-one gallons of blood through the American Red Cross in his lifetime.
Gary died on Monday, April 28, 2014 at Elm Crest Retirement Home in Harlan, Iowa, having attained the age of seventy-two years, one month, and seventeen days. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers Ron and Jerome.
He is survived by his wife of fifty-one years Bev Kohles of Portsmouth, Iowa; daughters: Lisa and her husband Randy Schomers of Omaha, Nebraska, Lori and her husband Kevin Mills of Harlan, Iowa, and Mary Jo and her husband John Schaben of Defiance, Iowa; son Marvin Kohles and his wife Jenny of Bennington, Nebraska; eleven grandchildren; sisters: Karen and her husband Alfred Wingert and Carol and her husband Phil Wegner all of Panama, Iowa, and JoAnn and her husband Jay Townsend of Wawa, Pennsylvania; brothers Michael Kohles and his wife Janet of Folsom, California and Joe Kohles and his wife Janet of Portsmouth, Iowa; sisters-in-law Meg Kohles and Connie Kohles other family members and many friends.
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On April 15, 1963, Gary was united in marriage to Beverly Huebner at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. There were four children born to them: Lisa, Lori, Mary Jo, and Marvin.
Gary worked as a road inspector for the Shelby County Roads Department for many years as well as running a barber shop until 2013. He held many different titles over the years: Butcher, Fire Chief for the Portsmouth Volunteer Fire Department, Egg Delivery Man, and Councilman. He also enjoyed the titles of Coach, Gatekeeper, Tab Puller, Gutter Cleaner, Grill Specialist, and Fan but his favorite titles were Grandfather, Father, and Husband.
He loved to volunteer his time to different organizations, was a 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, and had donated twenty-one gallons of blood through the American Red Cross in his lifetime.
Gary died on Monday, April 28, 2014 at Elm Crest Retirement Home in Harlan, Iowa, having attained the age of seventy-two years, one month, and seventeen days. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers Ron and Jerome.
He is survived by his wife of fifty-one years Bev Kohles of Portsmouth, Iowa; daughters: Lisa and her husband Randy Schomers of Omaha, Nebraska, Lori and her husband Kevin Mills of Harlan, Iowa, and Mary Jo and her husband John Schaben of Defiance, Iowa; son Marvin Kohles and his wife Jenny of Bennington, Nebraska; eleven grandchildren; sisters: Karen and her husband Alfred Wingert and Carol and her husband Phil Wegner all of Panama, Iowa, and JoAnn and her husband Jay Townsend of Wawa, Pennsylvania; brothers Michael Kohles and his wife Janet of Folsom, California and Joe Kohles and his wife Janet of Portsmouth, Iowa; sisters-in-law Meg Kohles and Connie Kohles other family members and many friends.
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