John Harrison Kohl

KOHL, John Harrison
of Kalamazoo, Michigan Passed away peacefully Saturday, July 6, 2013, with his wife and four children by his side. John was born February 5, 1921 in Lisbon, Iowa to Lawrence and Velma Beeman Kohl. He grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. After graduating from Coe College in 1942, he served three years as an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Trained as a chemist at Coe, after the war John spent nearly four decades working in the chemical industry for Monsanto, Wyandotte Chemicals, and BASF. John also had a life-long love of working on electrical and mechanical devices. In retirement he enjoyed going to garage sales where he acquired non-working phones, answering machines, and clocks that he repaired for others. On July 11, 1942 he was united in marriage to his loving wife of over 70 years, the former Rose Marie Blomquist who survives. Also surviving are 4 children: Judy Terry Michitsch, Lawrence Maureen Kohl, Janet Thomas Clemons, and Thomas Patti Kohl; 7 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank the staff of Rose Arbor Hospice for its compassionate care of John. A memorial service to celebrate John's life will be held at 2:00 pm Saturday, July 27, 2013 in the KIVA room at Friendship Village, 1400 N. Drake Rd. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan for Rose Arbor Hospice. Arrangements by Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 622 S. Burdick.