---

W7JG   ---  Del Kohler SK

[from note by Del to Scott, W7IZ]
Del was licensed 1938 as W9CCF, St Joe, MN, HS grad '40 St Cloud Tech, CCC 1940-41, CAA as Jr Meteorologist '42, Maritime Radio School (Gallup's Is.) RO SS Caribstar early war years, ATC (air transport command) northern division approx 2 years, USN Aviation cadet, V5 program transferred to electronics program - Wright Jr College, Texas A&M, USS Chandeleur AV10, dischg from Phila. Navy Yard.  St John's Univ. PreMed 3 yrs, Creighton Univ. Med school grad 1953.  Moved to WA state and have been in General Practice of Medicine since, 44 years of it, retired in '98.  Lost my soul mate after 53 years of bliss in '03.  Have a great family including 14 grandchildren.  Mountain in back in photo is Mt Rainier, elev 14,410, a dormant volcano in the Cascade Range.

[Del was also very active on RN7 and WSN and he will be missed!!]

[from obituary in the Tacoma News Tribune]
Dr. Del Kohler October 14, 1922 - June 12, 2012 Del (Delphin Gustave Kohler) was born in St. Cloud, MN, the second of twelve children. He served proudly during the Second World War, as a radio operator in the Navy. While attending St. Johns University he met the love of his life, Kathleen Krava, while she attended neighboring St. Benedicts College in St. Joseph, MN. They married and headed to Omaha, NE where Del attended Creighton University Medical School. On the trip from MN to Omaha, they traveled in an old convertible stuffed with their belongings. As dad told it, they drove through a storm and strong winds tore the roof off. They just laughed and so began the grand adventure of their lives.

The first two of eight children were born in Omaha: Kristin and Erik. The growing family moved to Washington State, where Del finished his residency at St. Joseph Hospital. Ellen, Michael, Thomas, James, Marguerite and Andrew were born at the same hospital. Del practiced Family Medicine in the Federal Way area with Kathleen as his Medical Technologist until he was 75. They were a perfect team and Kathleen a "dynamo", as he liked to describe her. The thousands of patients they served together were provided outstanding care with a unique blend of compassion and personal attention. Dad accepted patients who were not covered by the usual private insurances, despite the fact that he did not profit. His priority was providing care first. He was loved dearly and patients often recognized him and would come up in public places saying, "Hey Doc Kohler, you delivered me" or "Hi Dr. Kohler, you took care of me and my family, do you remember me?" He would smile and respond, "Yes and how is your mother doing? "

Surprisingly, he was a shy man, preferring to listen rather than be heard, and always had the wheels turning in his intelligent head. He read voraciously with special interests in philosophy and astronomy. A favorite quote by Galileo Galilei: "I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use". Del and Kathy built a home in Browns' Point, above Commencement Bay with a sweeping view of Tacoma, Mt. Rainier and the Olympics. Del chose the site for practical reasons too: radio reception. He was an avid ham radio operator, his call W7UMJ then W7JG. He participated in the WA and AK rescue networks as a volunteer.

He loved adventure and took his large family hiking and cross country skiing, and infused them with his same love for the beautiful NW and Alaskan backcountry. He climbed Mt.Rainier on 5 different occasions and visited Alaska every summer for many years. Classical music filled the family home at all times and the volume decibels increased with the years. Del lost his "mighty mite", Kathleen, in 2003. His children stayed close and were a source of comfort and support after this tremendous and unexpected loss. The years following her death were not always easy for him. He joked that he hoped Mom left the backdoor to heaven open. We are sure that the front door was opened wide and he is welcomed on his departure from this earth into the vast galaxies of what his scientific mind determined heaven to be. We will miss you and love you Dad, as you embark on the last great adventure.

The family sends thanks to the staff at St. Francis PCU, Dr. Clark Palliative Care, Glori Chaplain and Dr.Dudkowska for their exquisite, loving care of our Dad. Funeral Mass will be held 10:00 a.m. Monday, June 18, 2012 at St. Theresa's Catholic Church, 3939 SW 331st St., Federal Way, WA 98023

---

Greetings Don and the rest of the net,

I suppose it’s about time you hear from me as the new “manager”. First off I really want to thank Allen and all the rest of you for the outstanding job you’ve all done in the past.

A little bit about me, I’ve been a part of WSN for over 15 years and still feel like a newbie amongst some of you. I still work, and I own my own business so that’s why I’m not on in the AM session. Obviously I love CW like the rest of you and like to be a part of the NTS.  It took me a long time to volunteer for a NCS placement, I don’t know why exactly but I wish I had done it sooner. This is also true for the RN7 QNB I do on Saturday; I made some new friends there. 

(Now for the pitchJ) Our membership seems to be steady “lose one member, pick one up” etc.. and I know some of you hold many positions like RN7 QNB/ NCS/ and Alternate NCS.. What would be good is we all took a turn if we could and relieve those with multiple duties. We do have openings…..like Thursday RN7 QNB is open. It’s not really difficult and it would give you new friends that you will meet on RN7.  We also have Thursday Eve. Alt NCS open, this is really simple, if the designated NCS is gone you’re Net control, and it’s only once in the evening. If you feel like helping out let me know and it will happen. 

And one more thing; talk to your CW friends and invite them to the Net. I attended a “meeting” at a hamfest last year and about 20 cw ops were there, I was the only one involved in a traffic net, most of them didn’t know what most of the QN? Signals were. I should have made a pitch for the net at that time. Maybe you’re attending a hamfest with similar meetings, invite them, you just never know who’ll show up.

See you “on the Air” and I hope you all enjoy the Summer.

73

Guy Fiola

N7YRT