Michael C. Gohl

1949 - 2016

WOLCOTT - Michael Charles Gohl passed away at his home in Wolcott, Vermont, on May 18, 2016, at the age of 67. Michael was surrounded by his wife, Claudia, and their three sons, Mason, Austin and Leland.
Michael was born on Feb. 15, 1949, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to father Henry Gottlob George Gohl and mother Stella Sophie Piotrowska. Michael grew up in Merchantville, New Jersey, with his parents, sister, Barbara, and brother, David. His grandparents emigrated from Germany and Poland, and his parents were first-generation Americans. His father's family owned and ran the popular Gohl's Bakery in Merchantville. His mother worked as a hairdresser both in town and from their home.
Michael received an associate's degree from Temple University in 1970, followed by a bachelor of science degree in architecture from Drexel University in 1982. He met Claudia in a real estate law course at the University of Pennsylvania. Michael and Claudia were married in 1983 at her parents home in Hatboro, Pennsylvania. In 1984, they moved to Vermont where they built their home, Michael started an architectural practice, and they raised their family. As an architect, Michael was a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Vermont chapter from 1998 to 2007 and served as president in 2001. He was a member of the Lamoille Housing Partnership, also serving as its president. He also served as a member, and later as chairman, of the Wolcott Planning Commission from 1987 to 1996. The Marshall and Aiken blocks and Art Park on Main Street in Hardwick, Vermont, were the last projects he completed. A few of his previous projects included the first IKEA in North America; the renovation of and addition to the elementary school in Lowell, Vermont; the restoration of one of America's oldest cinema marquees at the Colonial Theater in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, and the design of the Food Venture Center in Hardwick.
Michael was diagnosed with a form of nonsmoker's lung cancer in September 2013. He continued working as much as possible while enduring treatments that helped to prolong his life. Michael's passion for his community and small-town life was evidenced by his involvement in multiple organizations addressing the needs for good design, sound environmental regulations and preservation of historically significant buildings.
Michael is survived by his wife, Claudia, of Wolcott, Vermont, and their sons, Mason, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Austin and Leland, of Washington, D.C.; his sister, Barbara Gohl, and brother-in-law, Art Tasker, of Enumclaw, Washington; and her children, Sophie Keene, also of Enumclaw, and Levi Keene, of Philadelphia; his sister-in-law, Nina Fisher, and brother-in-law, Thomas DeKornfeld, of Annapolis, Maryland, and their children, Phoebe, of Brooklyn, New York, and Chloe, of Claremont, California; and his mother-in-law, Doris Fisher, of Annapolis, Maryland. Michael was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, and his father-in-law, Norman Fisher. He was a loving father, husband and brother, and he will be greatly missed.
If you would like to contribute to a group that was meaningful to Michael, contributions may be made to Ridge Protectors AC Fund, P.O. Box 81, Craftsbury Common, VT 05827, or the Hope Lodge, 237 East Ave., Burlington, VT 05401.
Claudia, Mason, Austin and Leland invite you to a gathering to honor the life and memory of this remarkable man. Please stop by, share memories, have a bite to eat and drink, and visit family and friends between 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 18, 2016, in Hardwick, VT, at 101 South Main St. The family will provide beverages. Please bring a light potluck item.