Obituary of Janeth Lynn Koehler

Janeth “Penny” Lynn (Towner) Koehler was born March 10, 1945 in St. Paul Minnesota to Janeth Grace Olson and Harold Ellsworth Towner.  She died on October 31st, 2022 at North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale, MN. She died just eight days after her beloved husband, Gordon “Gordy” Koehler. 

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 for Gordy. Both of them will be placed in a niche following the ceremony.

Penny graduated from Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis in 1963. She was a cheerleader and homecoming queen. Penny was an avid slalom and barefoot waterskier and was skiing into her 70’s.  In her younger years she enjoyed barrel racing. She married Gordon Koehler in 1992. She worked in real estate for many years at Edina Realty. After retirement she and Gordy moved to their vacation home on Lookout Lake.

She had an extraordinary friendliness and kindness about her and made friends wherever she was. Penny could not stand to see a critter in distress and had many rescue pets through the years. She volunteered with Wild and Free, a wildlife rehabilitation organization that worked to rehabilitate wildlife leading to release to their natural habitat.

She is survived by her siblings John Towner, Connie Fader (Jack), and Gail Towner as well as a herd of adoring nieces and nephews who will always remember their great adventures with Auntie Penny. She also leaves behind their beloved dog Scout and two cats.

Penny was many things to many people, wife, sister, friend, aunt, and mentor. She was dearly loved and will be deeply missed.