Melvin L. “Mel” Koehler, age 85, of Marion, died Thursday evening, May 17, 2012, at his residence with his loving wife, Ottis, by his side, following a short battle with cancer.
On October 20, 1926, Mel was born in a farm house in rural northeast Nebraska, the second of four sons of the late Edmont and Rose (Gansebom) Koehler.
He attended grade school in a one-room school house; the school as well as the farm home had no electricity or indoor plumbing other than the kitchen sink. He grew up on the farm during the depression and the “dust bowl” years.
He graduated from Wausa High School in Nebraska in the Class of 1943, and shortly thereafter enlisted in the U.S. Navy.
After boot camp and training, he served aboard the USS Scania, a ship designed to transport and debark troops, via landing craft carried on board the ship, for beach invasions. This duty was in the Pacific Theatre during the waning days of World War II. He was honorably discharged from active duty in July of 1946 and promptly enrolled in the College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska.
A romance that began in Wausa the previous year culminated in his marriage on June 9, 1947, to Ottis Mainquist. Together they set about the task of setting up housekeeping and earning income to supplement the GI Bill income so as to obtain the coveted engineering degree.
Upon graduation in June of 1950, a series of assignments in Construction Management led to employment with Peter Kiewit Construction Company in the development of the gaseous diffusion plant near Portsmouth, Ohio starting in 1952. As the project was winding down in 1955 and the movement to another construction site was pending, a family decision was made that it was time to change careers and “settle down” as daughters Deborah and Marsha were approaching school age. Mel had now accumulated sufficient experience to become licensed to practice as a Professional Engineer in Ohio. An opening at Floyd Browne Associates, Consulting Engineers, in Marion provided that opportunity. This career lasted until 1986. He was later licensed to practice in several adjoining states and also as a Professional Surveyor in the state of Ohio. He was elected to Partnership in the Firm in 1963. He progressed from Project Manager to Branch Office Manager in Canton (1971 – 1977) to General Manager and Chairman in 1977. During this time frame he oversaw, as Project Manager from concept through construction, innumerable water and sewerage projects for communities throughout Ohio. During his tenure as managing partner the firm prospered and expanded its services via additional branch offices and development of two subsidiaries.
At the time of his retirement, he served as Chairman and CEO of Floyd Browne Associates and CEO of its two subsidiary companies, Macola Inc. and Aqua Tech Environmental Labs Inc. These two subsidiaries later became independent firms in the community. In his years with the firm, he was active in numerous professional organizations and served terms on the Board of Directors of the Ohio Association of Consulting Engineers and the Ohio Society of Professional Engineers.
The retirement changed to semi-retirement early in 1988 when Mayor Brown asked him to join his administration as Economic Development Director; this was initially a consulting contract and later as a part-time employee ending in 1991. Thereafter, the economic development activities were combined with those of the Chamber of Commerce until Cando Inc. was initiated. Mel was involved in later stages of the organization of Cando and was Vice Chairman of the inaugural Board of Directors. His community activities also included serving as Chairman of the Marion Port Authority Board for the first five years of its existence.
His service to his country did not end with the discharge from active duty at the end of World War II. He remained in the Naval Reserve and received an appointment as Ensign upon graduation from college. Thereafter, he served in a Ready Reserve status at numerous Naval facilities and advanced in Rank to Commander. He served as Commanding Officer of the CB Division (Sea Bees) in Mansfield for several tours during the Viet Nam War era. He retired with the rank of Commander in 1977. He had membership in the Military Officer Association of America, the VFW, and the American Legion.
Through out the years, Mel was a member of and active in numerous Marion organizations including the Marion Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce (he was the first member to join as an “individual” when that classification was established, Board of Director of the Marion Chapter of Red Cross, Board of Directors of the Marion Visitors and Convention bureau and Marion’s representative on the DKMM Solid Waste District Board of Directors. He served more than twenty years on the Board of Directors of Marion Towers and played a major role in the recent major renovation program for the facility.
He was a long term member of the Epworth United Methodist Church and served on most of the administrative committees; he also served many years as Church Treasurer.
In addition to the many volunteer and professional activities, Mel enjoyed outdoor leisure activities. He was a “handyman” around the house and yard. Golf was his favorite relaxation in his retirement years. Many enjoyable family outings were tent camping in Ohio and adjoining State Parks. Several vacations were spent tent camping, which included trips northward to Canada, westward to the Rockies, and Eastward to the New England Coast. These trips combined with other business and military travel, he spent some time in every U.S. state. Alaska was the last state to be visited to complete the list when he and Ottis celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary with a tour aboard a cruise ship with inland excursions.
He will be dearly missed by his wife, Ottis Koehler of Marion; a daughter, Deborah Koehler of Berlin, Germany; a granddaughter, Gita Kantrow of Oregon; a grandson, Christopher Anspach of Ames, Iowa; a brother, Don (LaVonne) Koehler of Wausa, Nebraska; a sister-in-law, Arlis Koehler of Wausa, Nebraska; a foster-daughter, Mamiko Schonbeck and her daughter, Miya, of Long Island, New York; a foster granddaughter, Rita Riechold of Germany; and many nieces, nephews and special friends, the family of the late Robert and Jeanette Haas.
Including his parents, Mel was preceded in death by his daughter, Marsha Anspach; a granddaughter, Jennifer Anspach; and two brothers: Vernon and Milford Koehler.
His family will greet friends from 4 – 6 p.m. on Monday, May 21, 2012, at the Epworth United Methodist Church, 249 E. Center St., Marion. Services honoring his life will begin there at 6:00 p.m. with military honors provided by the Marion County United Veterans Council and with Rev. Colleen Ogle officiating. Burial will take place at a later date in Woodlawn Cemetery in Wausa, Nebraska.
Rather than flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Epworth United Methodist Church or to Heartland Hospice, and they may be sent to the care of the funeral home.
Denzer-Farison-Hottinger & Snyder Funeral Home is honored to have been chosen to serve Mel’s family and your private condolences may be expressed to them online by visiting www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.
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