Donald Jerry Kohn

Donald Jerry Kohn of Allentown, PA, died on Sunday November 2, 2025. He died peacefully in his own home, which is just what he would have wanted.

Born in Omaha, NE, on June 4, 1947, Don moved to the Lehigh Valley for college, receiving his engineering degree from Lehigh University. During college, Don met Melinda, who would be his wife of 55 years until her death in 2022. Don worked as a fire protection engineer at PP&L for over 20 years and then as an independent fire protection consultant for another two decades. He was active in the Lehigh Valley community, including founding two chapters of PFLAG and winning the Allentown Human Relations Commission award in 2003. He lived in Macungie for several decades before moving back to the West End.

Don is survived by his daughter, Sally Kohn, his daughter-in-law Sarah Hansen, his granddaughter Willa Hansen-Kohn, and his brothers, Gene and Larry Kohn and their families. He is also survived by five cars. Don loved cars. If Don could be something other than a person, there's little doubt he would want to be a car. What kind of car? If you asked him, he'd probably pick something flashy-but-not-too-flashy, like the vintage yellow Corvette he owned a few years back. But the fact is Don Kohn was actually a station wagon. Reliable. Helpful. Welcoming of everything and everyone.

Don will be deeply missed by many. Here's hoping he and Melinda are now riding a sporty coupe together in the sky.

Services: Private. Arrangements by Bachman, Kulik & Reinsmith Funeral Homes, Allentown, www.BKRFH.com

In lieu of flowers, please donate generously to the Sixth Street Shelter in Allentown, PA (https://www.communityactionlv.org/sixthstreetshelter)