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View Tree for Merle Douglas KoehlerMerle Douglas Koehler (b. April 12, 1927, d. May 29, 1995)


Picture of Merle Douglas Koehler

Merle Douglas Koehler (son of George Koehler and Griestina "Christine" Banko)1661, 1662, 1663 was born April 12, 1927 in Peru, Illinois1664, 1665, 1666, 1667, and died May 29, 1995 in Peru, Illinois1668, 1668, 1668, 1668, 1668, 1668, 1669, 1670, 1670, 1670, 1671, 1672. He married Helen Mayme Mauritzen1673, daughter of Harry James Mauritzen and Charlotte Theresa Doerr.

 Includes NotesNotes for Merle Douglas Koehler:
May 2000 Died at 68 years, 1 month, 17 days

Dad was the 3rd of four sons born to Chris & Jim, two years before the Stock Market Crash. As with most families, the Depression was a terrible time for them. My father went to work on a milk route at about age 10, getting up at 4:00 a.m. each day, to earn money for his first bicycle; setting pins at age 13 in a bowling alley for a quarter a day, and working down at the Star Union Brewery, when he was about 14.
Dad's family was loud and rambunctious, not as genteel as my mother's, a most significant difference in my parents at this point in their lives. They were raised in completely opposite family environments and perhaps this was a big attraction to each of them.
They began "dating" in the 8th grade when Dad was apparently "involved" with someone else, and pretty much stayed together from then on. Although the Koehlers loved my mother, I don't think her parents were as thrilled about her dating "Mac" who seemed very rough around the edges, to say the least.
Dad enlisted in the Navy at the end of 1944, not finishing his last year of high school so he could "get in" before the War ended. His two older brothers Jim & Richard "Speck" were already in the Navy and seeing action. While he was in boot camp his Grampa Doty passed away, whom he was very fond of, and he secured emergency leave to come home for the funeral. He then went on an LST.
It was shortly after this that Mom became pregnant with me during her last year of high school. There was never any question that they wanted to be together, but it was difficult for Dad to get leave at that point. It wasn't until June of 1946 that he was able to come home and the young lovers decided to elope. They were married in Springfield, IL with Mom's sister Lois and her husband Sam standing up for them.
Just as Dad was ready to ship out from Great Lakes, the War ended. Dad was on the Flagship Adirondack at port and he remembers his brother's ship coming in close by them. He made some remark about the bucket of bolts Jim was on, which did not go over very well as it had seen a lot of action.
Dad came home to a very pregnant wife and no place to live, so they spent almost a year with Mom's parents. Dad went to work in his father's paint store and worked evenings to help remodel some apartments at Sittler's, with the understanding that they would get the first one. At last they were on their own.
During the time at Sittler's they bought the property on 10th Street, which would become our family home, and still is. They had no car, so would walk up from 4th St. to the lot on 10th St., me on Dad's shoulders, and make a stop at Gramma and Grampa Koehler's on 8th St. to let them babysit while Mom & Dad began work on the house. Mom tells of shoveling the dirt back into the sewer line themselves to save money.
The house was very tiny, one bedroom, small kitchen, living room and utility room. No bathroom. We had a toilet in the utility room, which also had a shower. There was no furnace, simply an oil space heater in the living room. They tell me, and I seem to remember, sitting by that heater with my books spread all over. I loved to read--still do. Their oil was stored in 250-gallon drums on a wooden platform they had built, to save money. There was a time when they had been just filled up for $65 (a lot of money for them) and the platform broke, spilling all their oil on the ground. They had no money to buy more oil, but the oil company let them buy on credit and pay them off over the winter. They also invested in the steel support frame this time!
My father then became an apprentice plasterer for three years with Birkenbuel. During the winter months in IL when the tradesmen weren't able to work much, Dad forged ahead and went to Chicago. He stayed with his Uncle Leonard & Aunt Tillie who provided free room & board while he pounded pavements to try to get work with someone. He was always very grateful for their generosity back then, and stayed in touch with the family throughout the years.
He did meet Stanley Anderson, a very large contractor based in Janesville, WI, who was so impressed with Dad from a job he had been on, he hired him as his foreman. Dad was involved with the St. Bede addition, Mendota Hospital addition, and was one of the foreman on a project in Iowa and Waukesa. Dad worked out of town all week and when he came home on Friday nights, he and Mom and Mic & I would head to the Igloo where he always had a bowl of chili & a cheeseburger.
The time came when Dad wanted to go into business for himself, along with his brother Kent. I think they were pretty successful until Dad got into drinking and running with a fast crowd and ended up losing the business. These were very tough years financially and personally for Mom and Dad, as well as Mic and I.
He worked for Glen Billard a few years and decided to go into business for himself again in about 1966. I had left home and was married in 1966, Mic had left home and was driving around the country in hid VW bus, entering his Hippie phase.
The business succeeded this time and my brother returned home with his wife Pamela and little boy Bryan in about 1970 and Mic went to work for Dad. They stayed together until Dad retired from the business and sold it to Mic.
Dad was a difficult man much of the time as we grew up. Of course, our 3 much younger sisters grew up with a very changed man. We laugh as we sit talking together about our perceptions being so different. Mic and I realize that our parents were still children themselves in the early years of our childhood, which accounts for a lot. I did always respect how hard-working and honest he was, and there were times it was obvious he had a soft heart. He also could be very generous, especially to his family; parents, in-laws, children.
It was in during the 70's that Mom and Dad began going to Florida for periods during the winters. Dad loved being able to be off and it seemed as if this was the only time of year he could relax. The time in Florida got longer each year, and they purchased a trailer in Periwinkle Park on Sanibel. I think these were his best times, even though he never had hobbies or did much of anything. He liked to talk to people and everyone seemed to like Mac. We'd hear, "Your dad is something else," or "they threw away the mold with Mac," or "he is some character."
Dad really liked my husband Mike from the beginning and we were very honored that he would actually come and visit us for a week or 10 days and truly enjoy himself. We had lots of fun together, the four of us. They called us one day while we were living in Houston and said, "Come to Las Vegas with us. Our treat." And we did. We saw 10 shows that weekend and had a super time. He always liked seeing new places, especially historical sites, and really got into Gettysburg and Washington, D.C. when we lived in those areas. I don't think he enjoyed NY City as much, but was a real trooper in the freezing cold at the Statue of Liberty and the freezing cold outside the Baltimore Aquarium.
It was in 1976 that he and Mom loaned us $10,000 to help with the down payment on our first house in Lewistown, MD. Interest rates were terrible then, and banks were requiring a third down to make a purchase. We wouldn't have been able to buy a home for many years if not for their help.
Although Dad never liked yard work and landscaping himself, he did appreciate Mom's touch with their yard and ponds. This interest was passed on to myself and especially my sister Wendy and brother Mic. Of course, whenever they visited either one of us we had yard projects we saved for Mom's input and help. Dad would supervise stretched out in the chaise lounge. "A little to the left, Helen," or "You girls do good work!"
When his parents died in the late 70's, Dad bought their home to keep it in the family. He thought his mother-in-law was a wonderful person and was very generous to her as well. I remember picking her up on Sunday afternoons to "take a ride" and ending up at the root beer stand for Black Cows. They were great tasting after a ride in the car with no air-conditioning.
There were many times I remember going to Starved Rock State Park on a Sunday afternoon. We'd have a picnic, go hiking and Dad would wax the car with the car radio on, tuned to a baseball game. It's one of those indelible memories that comes back instantly when I hear a baseball announcer.
Although much of the time I was growing up Dad and I were like fire and water, I'm very grateful that during my adult years our relationship smoothed out and we were able on many levels to find our way to each other. He was "truly a character" and we all miss seeing him. His presence is very much with all of us and I know he laughs along with us when we tell Dad stories!

[Broderbund Family Archive #110, Vol. 1 A-L, Ed. 6, Social Security Death Index: U.S., Date of Import: May 9, 2000, Internal Ref. #1.111.6.138168.172]

Individual: Koehler, Merle
Social Security #: 353-20-2761
Issued in: Illinois

Birth date: Apr 12, 1927
Death date: May 29, 1995


ZIP Code of last known residence: 61354
Primary location associated with this ZIP Code:

Peru, Illinois




More About Merle Douglas Koehler:
Burial: Unknown, Cremation/no tombstone.1674, 1675, 1676
Died 2: Death cert. in file.1677
Military service: Bet. 1944 - 1946, US Navy WW II.1677, 1678, 1679
Occupation: Masonry Contractor.1680, 1681, 1682
Social Security Number: Social Security #: 353-20-2761.1683, 1683, 1684, 1685, 1685, 1686, 1687, 1688, 1688, 1689, 1690, 1691

More About Merle Douglas Koehler and Helen Mayme Mauritzen:
Private-Begin: Private1692

Children of Merle Douglas Koehler and Helen Mayme Mauritzen are:
  1. +Diane Christine Koehler.
  2. +Merle Kent Koehler.
  3. +Lori Carol Koehler.
  4. +Wendy Joy Koehler, b. February 2, 1960, Peru, Illinois1693, 1694, 1695, d. date unknown.
  5. Sandra Charlotte Koehler.
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