Rachel Kohl Vandalia, Missouri Obituary

Rachel Kohl

<p>&nbsp; We are poorer due to the passing of Rachel Kohl on November 17, 2022. A private family service will take place on Tuesday November 22, 2022. Rachel was born south of Curryville, Missouri on June 28, 1909, the second of seven children of Ruby and Enoch Branstetter. She lived for 113 years and almost 5 months. All her life she was a country girl with a strong city flair.</p><p>&nbsp; After graduating in 1927 from Vandalia High School, she started on a career track in education that would last, aside from a short time in secretarial work, most of her working life. She started teaching in country schools, riding a horse named Claude to work each day. In one form or another, teaching, cooking meals or acting as a taxi service, she was involved in rural education until 1958 when the country and town schools were consolidated. After that, she was employed in the Van-Far School system as a teacher and librarian for 21 years until her retirement in 1977. She was a graduate of Gem City Business College and received her bachelors and master’s degrees from the University of Missouri.</p><p>&nbsp; In 1935 she married her sweetheart and life companion, Richard Kohl. They were the parents of four children, Marilyn Love, Janie Hayden (Mick), Marty Seymour (Gary) and R.H. Kohl (Nancy) all of whom survive her. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Lorie Uhey (Donnie), Ellen Roy (Alan), Greg Love (Ann), Callie Seymour, Jason Kohl, and Andy Kohl. She was also blessed with eleven great-grandchildren and eight great-great grandchildren.</p><p>&nbsp; She was pre-deceased by her husband Richard Kohl, parents Ruby and Enoch Branstetter, five sisters, one brother, her son-in-law Loren Love, grandsons Steven Seymour and Scott Love, nephews Fred Kohl, Donald McDowell and Phil Smith.</p><p>&nbsp; Rachel was a person of great positiveness, faith and hope; after all she was a St. Louis Cardinal fan. (Oh, there's always tomorrow. Oh, they'll do better next year.) When she was invited to see a Cardinal's game in the green seats by a great nephew and asked if she could get a ride, she answered that if she couldn't, she'd start walking to the stadium right then. She had a very competitive spirit and enjoyed playing Scrabble, endless pitch games and Thursday afternoon bridge meetings, which included three members over one hundred at the time the group disbanded. She also enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles and crocheting.</p><p>&nbsp; Her home and heart were always open to all. Whether it was folks out horseback riding or people visiting others in town, everyone stopped by to visit "Aunt Rae." Anything involving other people, whether it was a hayride or, especially, family gatherings, she was the leader of the fun. One thing that involved her sense of fun, and verged on childhood arrested development, was her deep fondness for Halloween. Whether it was dressing up and playing a character in costume or simply welcoming trick-or-treaters, she was in hog heaven on that big day of the year.</p><p></p><p>Four simple rules governed her life:</p><p>1. Praise God every day.</p><p></p><p>2. Stay busy.</p><p>3. Rest when you are tired.</p><p>4. Do something nice for someone every day.</p><p>&nbsp; Her life was a model from which we all could learn. Her passing is an incalculable loss, both to her family and to all those who knew her. Her life was an inspiration and her memory a benediction.<br></p><p>&nbsp; The family is being served by Bienhoff Funeral Home.</p><p>&nbsp; Pallbearers will be Jason Kohl, Andy Kohl, Clayton Thompson, Cory McFadden, Donnie Uhey, Alan Roy, and Callie Seymour.</p><p>&nbsp; Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Kohl and Johnny Kohl.</p><p>&nbsp; Memorial contributions may be made to Community Loving Care Hospice, in care of Bienhoff Funeral Home, P.O. Box 54, Vandalia, MO 63382.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>
June 28, 1909 - November 17, 202206/28/190911/17/2022
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Obituary

  We are poorer due to the passing of Rachel Kohl on November 17, 2022. A private family service will take place on Tuesday November 22, 2022. Rachel was born south of Curryville, Missouri on June 28, 1909, the second of seven children of Ruby and Enoch Branstetter. She lived for 113 years and almost 5 months. All her life she was a country girl with a strong city flair.

  After graduating in 1927 from Vandalia High School, she started on a career track in education that would last, aside from a short time in secretarial work, most of her working life. She started teaching in country schools, riding a horse named Claude to work each day. In one form or another, teaching, cooking meals or acting as a taxi service, she was involved in rural education until 1958 when the country and town schools were consolidated. After that, she was employed in the Van-Far School system as a teacher and librarian for 21 years until her retirement in 1977. She was a graduate of Gem City Business College and received her bachelors and master’s degrees from the University of Missouri.

  In 1935 she married her sweetheart and life companion, Richard Kohl. They were the parents of four children, Marilyn Love, Janie Hayden (Mick), Marty Seymour (Gary) and R.H. Kohl (Nancy) all of whom survive her. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Lorie Uhey (Donnie), Ellen Roy (Alan), Greg Love (Ann), Callie Seymour, Jason Kohl, and Andy Kohl. She was also blessed with eleven great-grandchildren and eight great-great grandchildren.

  She was pre-deceased by her husband Richard Kohl, parents Ruby and Enoch Branstetter, five sisters, one brother, her son-in-law Loren Love, grandsons Steven Seymour and Scott Love, nephews Fred Kohl, Donald McDowell and Phil Smith.

  Rachel was a person of great positiveness, faith and hope; after all she was a St. Louis Cardinal fan. (Oh, there's always tomorrow. Oh, they'll do better next year.) When she was invited to see a Cardinal's game in the green seats by a great nephew and asked if she could get a ride, she answered that if she couldn't, she'd start walking to the stadium right then. She had a very competitive spirit and enjoyed playing Scrabble, endless pitch games and Thursday afternoon bridge meetings, which included three members over one hundred at the time the group disbanded. She also enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles and crocheting.

  Her home and heart were always open to all. Whether it was folks out horseback riding or people visiting others in town, everyone stopped by to visit "Aunt Rae." Anything involving other people, whether it was a hayride or, especially, family gatherings, she was the leader of the fun. One thing that involved her sense of fun, and verged on childhood arrested development, was her deep fondness for Halloween. Whether it was dressing up and playing a character in costume or simply welcoming trick-or-treaters, she was in hog heaven on that big day of the year.

Four simple rules governed her life:

1. Praise God every day.

2. Stay busy.

3. Rest when you are tired.

4. Do something nice for someone every day.

  Her life was a model from which we all could learn. Her passing is an incalculable loss, both to her family and to all those who knew her. Her life was an inspiration and her memory a benediction.

  The family is being served by Bienhoff Funeral Home.

  Pallbearers will be Jason Kohl, Andy Kohl, Clayton Thompson, Cory McFadden, Donnie Uhey, Alan Roy, and Callie Seymour.

  Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Kohl and Johnny Kohl.

  Memorial contributions may be made to Community Loving Care Hospice, in care of Bienhoff Funeral Home, P.O. Box 54, Vandalia, MO 63382.



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