John C. Koehler, age 99 of Janesville, MN, died Saturday, January 19, 2008 at Pathstone Living in Mankato, MN.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville, with the Rev. Dr. Larry Griffin, pastor officiating. Interment will be held at St. John’s-Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Iosco Township, Waseca County.

Visitation will be held at the Arnoldt-McRaith Funeral Home in Janesville on Wednesday from 3 to 6:00 p.m. and will continue on Thursday morning for one hour prior to services at the church.

The family prefers that memorials be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church, Janesville.

John Christian was born on August 11, 1908 to Reverend Fred and Lydia (Albrecht) Koehler in Nicollet, MN. He attended high school in Nicollet and after graduating enrolled at the University of Minnesota. There he graduated from the School of Pharmacy and began his pharmacy career in northern Minnesota in Brainerd and Bemidji. On May 17, 1938 he was united in marriage to Jean Benner at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji. Shortly after their marriage they moved to Waseca, MN and John worked there until 1943 when he purchased the pharmacy in Janesville and started Koehler Pharmacy. He owned and operated this pharmacy until his retirement in 1970. In retirement they enjoyed their home on Lake Francis, enjoyed traveling, camping, fishing and spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. On July 27, 1998, Jean preceded him in death. John was a longtime member of Trinity Lutheran Church and held many offices throughout those years.

He is survived by three daughters, Joan Hendricks of Dundee, IL, Merryl (Roger) Schurke of Andover, MN and Patricia (Curt) Priem of Mankato, MN; by nine grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren; by his sister, Margaret Foss of Phoenix, AZ; by his brother, Fred (Ruth) Koehler of Orange City, FL and many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, his great-grandson, Chad Horan, his son-in-law, Robert Hendricks, by his sister, Ruth Zupp, one brother in infancy and four brothers, Arthur, Adolph, Walter and Martin Koehler.

Casketbearers are his grandsons, John Hendricks, Michael Priem, Bryan Priem, Christopher Schurke, Christian Schurke and Nathanael Schurke.