Obituary of Gordon Thomas Koehler

Gordon “Gordy” T. Koehler, age 71, died at the Minneapolis VA hospice with his wife by his side on October 23, 2022 . He was born to Leo and Leone Koehler in Fairmont, MN. 

There will be a graveside ceremony for Gordy at 1:30 PM on Friday, May 12, 2023, meeting in Assembly Area #4 at Fort Snelling National Cemetery with the Memorial Rifle Squad providing military honors. His wife "Penny" died just eight days after Gordy on October 31, 2022. Both of them will be placed in a niche following the ceremony.

Gordy attended Fairmont High School, Class of 1969 and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts in 1985. He was a decorated Army veteran with the First Cavalry (1969-1971) who was awarded a Combat Infantry Badge, two Bronze Stars, Purple Heart,  Army  Commendation with V for valor, Air Medal for regular and frequent helicopter assaults and single acts of heroism, the Vietnam Service Medal with arrowhead and stars for aerial assaults into combat and multiple campaigns, and the National Defense Service medal for service during war time. He was a good soldier.

He was an adventurer and loved Harley Davidson motorcycles as well as skydiving and scuba diving. He was a skilled scuba diver achieving instructor, ice diving, and rescue certifications and dove the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and The Blue Hole in Belize. He had a love of travel and had been to Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam, Central America, and several countries in Africa including Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda. 

He married Penny Towner in 1992 and they both worked in real estate for many years. They had a hobby farm with horses, cats, and dogs. After retirement in 2009 they moved to their vacation home and enjoyed lake life and several trips prior to his death.

His wife Penny Koehler loved absolutely everything about him. They had two cats and a dog. Gordy was a good soldier, a great husband, and a kind man. 

Penny had requested memorial contributions in Gordy’s honor be made to The Nature Conservancy or Sierra Club.