Dale A. Koehler Sr.

PIERCE -- Funeral service for Dale A. Koehler Sr., 88, of Pierce will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, March 18, 2017 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Pierce with Rev. Gordon Bruce and Vicar Jonathon Torreson officiating. Interment will be at the Prospect View Cemetery in Pierce. Visitation will be held 4:00-7:00 p.m., Friday at the Stonacek Memorial Chapel in Pierce. Military rites will be conducted by the American Legion Tomek-Otto Post 72 of Pierce and the United States Army Honors Guard. Dale passed away Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at the Faith Regional Hospital in Norfolk. Stonacek Memorial Chapel in Pierce is in charge of the arrangements. The son of Lawrence and Alma (Strelow) Koehler was born July 10, 1928, in Pierce. Dale was baptized at St. John’s Lutheran Church in rural Pierce on July 20, 1928, and confirmed in faith at Zion Lutheran Church of Pierce. He attended grade school at District 70 in rural Pierce and Zion Lutheran School to the eighth grade before graduating from Pierce High School in 1945 at the age of 16 years. After high school, Dale helped his family on the farm and also worked as a tractor mechanic at Kolterman’s Implement in rural Pierce. Dale then served in the U.S. Army from June 29, 1951, to June 13, 1953, reaching the rank of corporal. Dale worked as an instrument repairman on the electronics for the anti-aircraft artillery during the Korean War. After his military service, Dale returned to Pierce and continued farming and working at Kolterman Implement until 1966. He married Patricia Zierke on Aug. 25, 1966, in Yankton. Dale and Pat lived in Pierce. They raised stock cattle while Dale also worked construction, building concrete bridges throughout Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas until 1974. They then moved to Osmond, where they owned and operated Koehler Service for four years. The family moved back to Pierce, and Dale worked construction until retiring when he was 65. After retirement, Dale worked as a security guard at Dale Electronics in Norfolk for eight years. Dale very much enjoyed gardening along with hunting, fishing, playing cards (especially cribbage), eating ice cream, bowling and working on cars. Dale loved spending time with his grandchildren and family. He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Pierce and American Legion Tomek Otto Post 72 of Pierce. Survivors include his spouse, Patricia Koehler of Pierce; his children, Julie (Rod) Jonson of Pierce, Michael Buske of Colorado Springs, Colo., Timothy (Connie) Buske of San Antonio, Texas, Kristi (Jeffrey) Shermer of Hadar, Dale (Melissa) Koehler Jr. of Colorado Springs, Colo., Sonia (Jason) Zubrod of Pierce, Jeremy (Rachel) Koehler of Pierce and Misti Beckner of Norfolk; 24 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a sister, Irma O’Neal of Pierce; and a brother-in-law, Robert (Glenda) Zierke of Pierce. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Marvin and spouse Frankie Koehler; brother-in-law Lloyd O’Neal; and a sister-in-law, Donna Lewis. Organist for the funeral will be Linda Peekenschneider. Soloist will be Jill McElhose, singing “In The Garden” and “Old Rugged Cross.” Congregational hymns will be “I Am But A Stranger Here” and “How Great Thou Art.” Casket bearers will be Dale’s sons: Michael Buske, Timothy Buske, Dale Koehler Jr., and Jeremy Koehler. Honorary casket bearers will be Dale’s sons-in-law: Rod Jonson, Jeffrey Shermer, Jason Zubrod and John Beckner. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at stonacekfuneralchapel.com.

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Dale A. Koehler Sr.

July 10, 1928 - March 15, 2017