John Kahoun

1926 - 2015

Kahoun, John (Jack)

John (Jack) Kahoun, age 88, of Wisconsin Rapids passed away Monday afternoon, January 19, 2015 at his residence.

Services will be at 11:00 A.M. on Friday, January 23, 2015 at First English Lutheran Church. Rev. Chuck Tews and Rev. Kenneth Hanson will officiate. Entombment will be at the Forest Hill Mausoleum with military honors rendered by VFW Post 2534. Visitation will be from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. on Thursday at Herman-Taylor Funeral Home and from 10:00 A.M. until the time of services on Friday at the church. Online condolences may be expressed at www.taylorfuneralhome.net.

Jack was born on April 12, 1926 to Joseph and Gladys (Sutton) Kahoun in a company-owned house next to the Biron paper mill. When he was nine years old, the family moved to a 40 acre farm just outside of Biron. Jack delivered 21 quarts of milk to Biron families each day on his bicycle before going to school. He was very active in the music program at Lincoln High School as a trumpet player. Jack graduated from Lincoln High School in June of 1944 and was drafted into the Army Field Artillary on June 19, 1944, the same day his brother, a paratrooper, was killed in Normandy, France 13 days after D-Day. Jack served two years in the army including three months overseas.

He graduated from the Milwaukee School of Engineering with both a degree in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and was also a Registered Professional Engineer.

On June 24, 1950, he married Sigrid Bakke at Westport Lutheran Church outside of Madison. They lived in Milwaukee until Jack finished school and then moved back to Wisconsin Rapids in 1957. He was employed by Consolidated Papers for 30 years, retiring in 1989. Jack was very active in the community, having been a member of the Wisconsin Rapids Ethics Board, Sons of Norway, Wisconsin Rapids Freemasons Lodge #128, Wood County Veterans Memorial Committee, VFW Post 2534, American Legion Post 9 and First English Lutheran Church. He was a past member of the Housing Authority, Management Club, Toast Masters, Wood County Peer Support Program, Family Center Support, Cultural Committee, and Cultural Development Auditorium Committee.

Jack was recognized as "Citizen of the Year" in 2007 and "Friend of East" by East Junior High for the 2009-2010 school year. He was extremely proud of his family, community and Wisconsin Rapids school system.

He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Sigrid; six children: Donald (Juli), Martinsville, Indiana; Robert, Madison, Wisconsin; Karen (Ron) Brown, Carver, Minnesota; Susan (Jim) Holberg, Wisconsin Rapids; Margaret (Bruce) Fenske, Yuma, Arizona; and John (Carla Villarroel), Brooklyn, New York. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren are: Kristina Brown Norman and her two children, Carter and Charley; Rachael Brown Hill and her two children, Tristan and Tyler; Jamie (Harold) Butterfield and their three children, Joshua, Bailey and Levi; Mathew (Lisa) Holberg and their son Luke; Carrie Holberg (Adam Campisano); Chris Fenske; James Fenske; Alyssa (Howard) Thomas; and Mateo Kahoun. He is also survived by nephews John (Brynace) Ristow, Beaverton, Oregon; Jere (Brenda) Ristow, Mosinee, Wisconsin; cousin Floretta Holland, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and a number of other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and brother-in-law Marie and Gerald Ristow, a brother, Robert, a beloved niece, Rita Ristow Ruge, and a grandson-in- law, Captain Jeffrey Hill.

Memorials may be designated to First English Lutheran Church or the Family Center.

Jack's family would like to thank Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice, especially Christine and Amy, for their loving care.