Edith M. Koehler

Edith Mae Koehler, 92, Oshkosh, passed away on Saturday, November 28, 2020 at Lakepointe Villa Assisted Living, after a short illness. She was born on May 15, 1928 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to Arthur H. And Ethel (Peake) Koehler.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her grandparents, August and Augusta, (Kubehl) Koehler, and Robert and Mary (Kenfield) Peake.
Family meant everything to Edith. She was very close to her parents, and her grandmother Peake. Her father passed away when she was 20. She lived with her mother and grandmother Peake. When her mother traveled to teach, Edith stayed behind in the care of her grandmother Peake. She had many fun memories of this time with her and the visit today we received from Uncle Bert. Edith loved her farm in the town of Utica, near Oshkosh, including her favorite German Shepherd and her favorite barn cat Tommy.
In the spring of 1948, Edith received her Associates degree from the UW -Oshkosh school of business. She was very proud of this degree.
In the fall of 1948, she started her career at the Radford Company in Oshkosh. She started out at .65 cents an hour running a Burroughs machine and filled for all locations. She did phone back up, catalog inventory, and accounting. She oversaw all five divisions of the company. By the time they closed the doors in the fall of 2008, she had worked there for 60 years, ending her career at Radford as a corporate secretary. She stayed in touch with their friends from the company, having many outings in her cherished blue ‘64 Thunderbird.
Edith was a skilled seamstress not only sewing for herself and loved to alter the same patterns to fit her mom. She made and shared many quilts with friends and family. Along with sewing and quilting, she also Knitted, and enjoyed Needlepoint and Cross Stitch.
Edith lived at Lakepoint Villa since 2013. Edith was a very proud independent woman with a heart of gold. She was quiet, yet do not hesitate to speak up when she felt the need to add to a conversation. She never passed up a good debate! Edith never required or requested much. She was a listener and a giver. She loved her morning cup of coffee, along with the newspaper, a good book, card and board games with the residence, word searches and painting and coloring.
Edith was a member at St. John’s Lutheran Church on N. Main St. In Oshkosh. Edith is survived by cousins and many friends including her very special friend, Blanche Fiegel whom she met at the Radford company.
Edith shared a saying often with friends and staff at Lakepoint. “Nothing hurts more than anger, and you should never go to bed angry. The key to life is to forgive. If you can do this, the weight of life will disappear.”
There will be a graveside service in her honor, conducted by Richard Voswinkel, Lakepointe’s longtime volunteer pastor, at Ellenwood cemetery, in Oshkosh, Friday, December 11, 2020 at 3 PM.
In Lieu of flowers, donations to the Boys and Girls club of Oshkosh, Oshkosh Area Humane Society, or the business school of UW-Oshkosh would be appreciated.
Special thanks for the staff, especially Tracy Somerville and Kelly Torres-Thomas, at Lakepoint Villa for the compassionate care and kindness they extended to Edith.