Ernest Kohler

Ernest Kohler, 94,

Benedict, died on Sunday,

November 6, 2016 at the

Benedictine Living Center

in Garrison.  Funeral ser-

vices will be held on Sa-

turday, November 12, at

11:00 am at Concordia

Lutheran Church in

Benedict.  Burial will be

at Bethania Lutheran

Cemetery in Benedict.

Visitation will be held

on Friday from 5pm to

7pm at Thompson Fun-

eral Home in Garrison.

Ernest was born June 5,

1922 in Poplar Township,

rural Benedict, ND to

Christ and Karolina

(Stelter) Kohler.  He at-

tended country school in

Andrews Township,

where he graduated from

the 8th grade.  After his

graduation he worked for

various threshing crews.

Ernest served in the

U.S. Army from No-

vember 12, 1942 to March

5, 1946 and was in Ok-

inawa at the end of the

war.  On April 14, 1950,

Ernest married Hilda

Boger at the Zion Luth-

eran Church parsonage in

Max, ND.  Ernest and Hil-

da made their home in

rural Benedict on the farm

where he was raised and

where they raised their 6

children.  He lived on the

farm until August 1, 2014

when he moved into St.

Benedictine Living Center

because of health issues.

Ernest loved farming

and enjoyed raising cattle.

He enjoyed the seasons

with all the changes of

Mother Nature.  Ernest

was a quiet, good natured,

hardworking man.  Fami-

ly was important to Er-

nest.  He was always hap-

py to have his children

around him.  He especial-ly enjoyed watching his

grandchildren and later

his great grandchildren.

He always had a smile on

his face and twinkle in his

eye.

Ernest’s hobbies in-

cluded woodworking,

playing cards, hunting,

listening to music, read-

ing and cutting grass. He

was a wonderful husband

and father.

Ernest is survived by

his wife of 66 years, Hil-

da, Benedict; daughters,

Trudy Smith, Murfrees-

boro, TN, Peggy (James)

Sigman; sons, Gary (Julie)

Kohler, Terry (Mary)

Kohler, Roger (Judy)

Kohler; son-in-law, Robert

(Cindy) Petersen; 10

grandchildren; 5 step

grandchildren; 15 great

grandchildren; sisters-

and brothers-in-law, Ella

(Ervin) Weishaar, Jeanie

(John) Bush; sisters-in-

law, Anna Kohler, Martha

Kohler, Leona Kohler; and

numerous nieces and

nephews.

He was preceded in

death by his parents,

daughter, Carol Petersen,

brothers and sisters-

in-law, Henry (Alma)

Kohler, Otto Kohler, Gust

(Elaine) Kohler, and Oscar

Kohler, sisters, Alma Erck

and infant brother, Willi-

am Kohler.

In lieu of flowers the

family prefers memorial

to Bethania Cemetery or

the donor’s choice.

To sign the online re-

gister go to www.

garrisonthompson.com