Armin P. Kohler

Armin Paul Kohler, 88, of 842 ? 5th St. SE, died Monday, January 30, 2006 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. Funeral services will be held 1:30 PM Thursday at Trinity Lutheran Church, 213 N. Pennsylvania Avenue with Rev. James Magelssen officiating. Private family inurnment services will take place at the Kensett Cemetery, Kensett. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 PM Wednesday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue and continue one hour before services at the church on Thursday. Memorials may be given to the Armin Kohler Memorial Fund. Armin was born November 19, 1917 in Tomah, Wisconsin the son of Rev. Gottlieb and Martha (Hillgendorf) Kohler. In 1928, at the age of 10, he moved with his family to Mason City where his father served as pastor of Zion German Methodist Church. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1936. As a young boy, Armin was interested in radio and electronics. After high school he worked for the N.Y.A., National Youth Administration, in communications. In 1939, Armin attended First National Radio and Television School in Kansas City, Missouri. After graduation, he worked for KITE in Kansas City, KFJB in Marshalltown and KDTH in Dubuque. Armin enlisted in the U.S. Army on August 8, 1942. During the war he was stationed at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey and Pine Camp, now Camp Drum, New York. As a Sergeant, he was an instructor in the Signal Corp and also worked in psychological warfare. After the war, Armin attended Hamilton Business College and worked for KRIB radio in Mason City. Armin married Helen Johnson May 27, 1954 at Bethany Lutheran Church, Kensett. In 1954, Armin started working for KGLO radio and television as an engineer installing equipment at the transmitter in Kensett. He continued to work for the television station until he retired in January of 1981. Regardless of the weather conditions, Armin would commute to the KGLO tower in St. Ansgar and would not hesitate to help stranded motorists along the way. Armin operated and maintained an amateur radio station license since 1939, WØJHC. He was a founding member of the North Iowa Amateur Ham Radio Club, having many ham operator friends. Armin was also a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. Armin is survived by his wife, Helen Kohler of Mason City; 4 children, Elaine Schultz and husband Byron of Forest City, Barbara German and husband David of Brookings, South Dakota, Paul Kohler and wife Terijo of Fort Worth, Texas, Margaret Reinholz and husband Eric of Omaha, Nebraska; 10 grandchildren, Ainslie Schultz, Rob Schultz, Amanda Schultz, Jennifer German, Jonathan German, Christopher German, Blake Kohler, Maria Dickerson, Jason Chevalier, Daniel Chevalier: 2 great grandchildren, Shavia Dickerson and Aubery Dickerson; sister, Emma Thomas of Des Moines; sister-in-law, Elizabeth Kohler of Mason City. Armin was preceded in death by his parents and 2 brothers, Karl and Lawrence.

Visitation:
4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue on February 1, 2006 (map/driving directions) 4:00 PM to 4:00 PM at 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue on January 30, 2006 (map/driving directions)

Service:
1:30 PM at on February 2, 2006 (map/driving directions)