Richard Lee Kohlscheen
December 12, 1945 — June 14, 2015
Richard Lee Kohlscheen
Richard Lee Kohlscheen was born on December 12, 1945 to Norman and Katherine (Wise) Kohlscheen in Avoca, Iowa. The Kohlscheen’s had four children; Larry who died in 1943; Janice, Norma and Richard. In 1952 the family moved to Long Beach, California.
Richard struggled much of his life. No one really knew him as well as his sister Norma whom he lived with for many years. Without her he could very well have ended up being just another homeless veteran living on the street. A forgotten entity so common tody in American cities.
When Richard was twelve years old he was a straight “A” student and was awarded a free trip to Catalina Island after being chosen as outstanding paper boy in the Long Beach, California area. Like many of us when we are young life has a way of changing our direction. Sometimes for good but not always. While on Catalina Island of all places, Richard was struck by a car and he received a major head injury. He was never the same again. For Richard this incident would change his whole life and not for the better. He would eventually finish school and graduate from Jordan High School in 1964.
Then along came Vietnam. In any other war, due to his medical condition, he would not have had to serve but warm bodies was all that was needed to fill the front lines back then. So Richard was drafted into the Army and sent to that hell hole known as South East Asia. Richard was an Army combat veteran on the front lines. He saw many terrible things and like so many of his combat buddies he turned to drugs and alcohol to ease his deep seeded pain.
When Richard returned to the United States he suffered from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Little treatment was provided by the Veteran’s Administration back then. He had served his country honorably but found himself struggling to fit into a world that was now alien to him. He left as a young boy but returned as a scared young man. Consequently, he found himself in and out of prison most of his life because society did not recognize what this veteran had gone through and that PTSD (left untreated) would result in his antisocial behavior.
During his lighter times he was fun to be around. A character with a quick wit and a ready smile. He loved his son Mickey, sports, dancing, puppies, patty melts, pizza, Pepsi and of course cigarettes and cards. He lived with Norma in California until returning to Avoca in 2003. Recently, he moved to Salem Lutheran Homes in Elk Horn, Iowa where he lived for 3 months until the time of his death on June 14, 2015. He had attained the age of sixty nine years, six months and two days. With the right medication given to him over the last few months of his life at Salem Lutheran Homes he became kind and grateful. Norma will always be thankful for the daily phone calls.
So we will lay you to rest today Richard. A man that society forgot except for two sisters Norma and Janice, a son Mickey and many cousins and aunts that loved you very much. There is also those thousands of men and women who wore that uniform and fought right along beside you for our American way of life. They will never forget you. You will always be their brother. Honor and integrity is everything. I salute you from one veteran to another. Your struggle is finally over and now it is time to lay you to rest my old friend. Rest in peace little brother. You will be missed.
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Richard Lee Kohlscheen was born on December 12, 1945 to Norman and Katherine (Wise) Kohlscheen in Avoca, Iowa. The Kohlscheen’s had four children; Larry who died in 1943; Janice, Norma and Richard. In 1952 the family moved to Long Beach, California.
Richard struggled much of his life. No one really knew him as well as his sister Norma whom he lived with for many years. Without her he could very well have ended up being just another homeless veteran living on the street. A forgotten entity so common tody in American cities.
When Richard was twelve years old he was a straight “A” student and was awarded a free trip to Catalina Island after being chosen as outstanding paper boy in the Long Beach, California area. Like many of us when we are young life has a way of changing our direction. Sometimes for good but not always. While on Catalina Island of all places, Richard was struck by a car and he received a major head injury. He was never the same again. For Richard this incident would change his whole life and not for the better. He would eventually finish school and graduate from Jordan High School in 1964.
Then along came Vietnam. In any other war, due to his medical condition, he would not have had to serve but warm bodies was all that was needed to fill the front lines back then. So Richard was drafted into the Army and sent to that hell hole known as South East Asia. Richard was an Army combat veteran on the front lines. He saw many terrible things and like so many of his combat buddies he turned to drugs and alcohol to ease his deep seeded pain.
When Richard returned to the United States he suffered from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Little treatment was provided by the Veteran’s Administration back then. He had served his country honorably but found himself struggling to fit into a world that was now alien to him. He left as a young boy but returned as a scared young man. Consequently, he found himself in and out of prison most of his life because society did not recognize what this veteran had gone through and that PTSD (left untreated) would result in his antisocial behavior.
During his lighter times he was fun to be around. A character with a quick wit and a ready smile. He loved his son Mickey, sports, dancing, puppies, patty melts, pizza, Pepsi and of course cigarettes and cards. He lived with Norma in California until returning to Avoca in 2003. Recently, he moved to Salem Lutheran Homes in Elk Horn, Iowa where he lived for 3 months until the time of his death on June 14, 2015. He had attained the age of sixty nine years, six months and two days. With the right medication given to him over the last few months of his life at Salem Lutheran Homes he became kind and grateful. Norma will always be thankful for the daily phone calls.
So we will lay you to rest today Richard. A man that society forgot except for two sisters Norma and Janice, a son Mickey and many cousins and aunts that loved you very much. There is also those thousands of men and women who wore that uniform and fought right along beside you for our American way of life. They will never forget you. You will always be their brother. Honor and integrity is everything. I salute you from one veteran to another. Your struggle is finally over and now it is time to lay you to rest my old friend. Rest in peace little brother. You will be missed.
PDF Printable Version
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