Robert Koehler

Family-Placed Obituary


KOEHLER, Robert Francis 93, passed away peacefully on Sunday August 22, 2004 after a brief illness, and a long, wonderful life. A life-long resident of Springfield, he was born on May 30, 1911. His beloved wife of sixty years, Helen, died in 1995. An active local businessman for many years, he operated a barber shop for 17 years on Springfield's west side and operated Koehler Hardware on East Main Street for nearly thirty years. He finally retired as a landlord in 2001. He was a member of St. Mary, St. Bernard, and St. Raphael Church, and had been a student at St. Gregory's Seminary in Cincinnati. The eldest of twelve children of Charles and Adelaide Bennett Koehler, he is survived by nine children and their spouses, Jim and Glenna Koehler, Columbus, Ohio, Barbara Decker, Mike and Mary Jo Koehler, Columbus, Noel Koehler, Rebecca Garrity, Columbus, Kris and Jim Herron, Paul and Lucy Koehler, Lancaster, Ohio, David and Robin Koehler, Xenia, Ohio and Eric and Teresa Koehler; 47 grandchildren, 59 great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild; brothers John and William Koehler; sisters-in-law Elaine, Lucille and Betty Koehler; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two infant children, Robert Francis and Patricia Anne, his sisters Louise Rivenburgh, Mary Hutchins, Ida Scott, and Theresa DeWitt, brothers Carl, Walt, Joe, Urbie and Jim Koehler, sisters-in-law June, Jean, and Rosemary Koehler, Frances Phillips, Loretta Swartz, and Dorothy Kinworthy, and brothers-in-law Langdon Rivenburgh, Rowe Scott, Bill DeWitt, Noah Phillips, Mark Goshen, and Ray Kinworthy and sons-in-law, William Garrity, Jr. and Louis Irwin. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday at 10 a.m at St. Raphael Church. Friends may visit from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday at the CONROY FUNERAL HOME. Burial will be in St. Bernard Cemetery. Donations in his memory may be made to the Clark County Right to Life Society.