Karen Marie Koehler
August 18, 1955 ~ October 24, 2010
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
Asheville – Dr. Karen Marie Koehler, 55, went home to be with Jesus on Sunday, October 24, 2010.
Karen was born in Waco, Texas, raised in Long Island, NY and was a professor at Westchester University in Westchester, PA. Karen was an avid motorcycle rider, member of the Christian Women Motorcycle Club and honorary member of the Blue Knights. She was always active with women's health issues.
Karen is survived by her parents, Ronald and Arlene Keller Koehler; her brother, Stephen M. Koehler, his wife, Charlene and their children, Sarah and David Koehler.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm Thursday in the chapel of Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian conducted by the Reverend Martin D. Payne. Interment will follow in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Enka.
Karen's family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service on Thursday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Williamson Lovelight Fund, c/o of Cancer Care of WNC, 445 Biltmore Ave., Suite 100, Asheville, NC 28801 or to the Animal Compassion Network, PO Box 1704, Skyland, NC 28776.
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Uncle Ronnie and Aunt Arlene my heart goes out to you both and everyone in the family. I am very, very sorry for your lost, my prayers are with you.
Dear Aunt Arlene and Uncle Ronnie:
Just want to let you know that my thoughts and prayers are with you. Karen was a terrific girl and I know she will be greatly missed. So sorry for all she and you have been through over the years. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do. With love and sadness – Linda
Dear Ron, Arlene, Stevie and Charlene. We are so saddened to learn of Karen’s passing. We pray that with the support and guidance of your church and your community of friends, you will find the strength to endure. Our loving thoughts are with you.
Ray, Lois and Herb
Ronald and Arlene Koehler, Nada and I are sorry to hear about the lost of your loving Daughter who has gone to be with our Lord Jesus Christ. You and the family are in our hearts and prayers. We love you two and miss talking with you.
Mr. and Mrs. Koehler,
We would like to express our deepest sympathy in the loss of your daughter. We will keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers.
Dear Aunt Arlene & Uncle Ron,
We are all with you in spirit in your time of need. Our sadness cannot be expressed in words. With all of our love to you both, Greg, Lori, Allison & Evan White, & Gregory
Dearest Friends Arlene & Ron,
Our message is to bring you love and joy. Karen touched our lives in many beautiful ways. We will always remember her closeness to our Lord, her gentle ways, and her sweet laughter. She was a woman with her own mind and she was very strong. You prepared her well. She has earned her reward. We love you and we will be with you today in mind and spirit.
We feel your pain. It’s always so difficult for those left behind. We know your unending love and faith in the Lord will help you through this most overwhelming time.
Dear Ron and Arlene,
A group of us were praying together for the Lord’s mercy to be extended to Karen on Monday morning just before Steve Long received your message that Karen was at home with the Lord in Glory. Our prayers continue to go before the Lord for His grace, comfort and strength for you and your family in the days, weeks, months ahead. Please know that you may call on Karen’s church family here in PA for anything you may need.
In Christ,
Pastor Mike Edelman
Calvary Fellowship Church
Dear Family of my freind karen,I work at wcu i am a constrution worker.I had the plasure of remodling karen’s departent for her many year’s ago and we have been freinds sence.Karen always had such a wonderful smile and that what i will always remeber.
My prayers are with you.
Osmond L Lawrence.
To the family of my friend Karen,
Karen and I shared many years of bible classes at Calvary Fellowship Church. She was very fun but very serious about her love of Jesus and her Lord. Karen was a wonderful woman and always learning and searching for those answers. I am so sorry for your loss…but she is where she always wanted to be…with her Savior. God Bless you and all of your family.
To the family of Karen,
I met Karen through Nancy Melcher and got to talk to her many times throughout the years at Calvary. She was person with a realness and steadiness about her. She was always positive and upbeat. My vision is now she is free to ride her Harley on the streets of Gold. God Bless her and her family.
Dear Mr and Mrs Kohler,
I worked with Karen at WCU. I always found her to be a caring and gentle soul. She touched many in her time here. She will be missed. My condolences to you and your family.
John Helion
Uncle Ron & Aunt Arlene
Our hearts go out to you at this sad time and we are saying prayers for all of you. With love,
Herb & kids
Andrea, Kristine and Herby
Mr and Mrs. Koehler, We are all so sorry for your loss but rejoice in knowing that Karen had spent her entire life loving and rejoicing in the Lord and we all know she is now reunited with our loving Lord and at peace. She was a wonderful person and welcomed me into her home while I was attending West Chester University…I will always chersih our time together and having the opportunity to reunite with you as well. Our love always! Anna and Mike Kirk and our girls
Steve and Charlene and Family,
Our condolences to your entire family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you as always. Much Love,
Kathy & Bill
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Koehler –
I am extending my deepest sympathy to you for the loss of your daughter, who was instrumental the hiring process when joined West Chester University in 1992. She has been a wonderful mentor, colleague and friend, and I have so many fond memories of her. May her beauty continue to radiate into our hearts and soothe the pain. In loving memory, Karin and family.
Dear Aunt Arlene & Uncle Ronny & Family,
Our thoughts are with you in this very difficult time. Take comfort in knowing that Karen is at peace.
Geraldine, Leo & Dean
To the Koehler Family,
I would like to share that in the brief time I knew Karen, her Godly spirit touched me. I know that she is finally home with her Savior. I will continue to pray for you and all her friends here in Downingtown as we will miss her very much.
In His Name, Meg
God Bless Karen. Such a tough last 5 years. May she find some rest and peace. God Bless her memory.
Dear Uncle Ronnie and Aunt Arlene,
We were all so very, very sorry to hear that Karen had passed on. She has left many wonderful memories for us. She was an outstanding person and will be missed. Our prayers are with you at this sad time.
Love,
Virginia, Ray, Raymond, Ellen, and Danny
Words can never really say what needs to be said. Sorry doesn’t seem to be adequate. Karen is rejoicing with Jesus. You and yours are mourning her loss. Know that we are keeping you in prayer. Please accept a spiritual hug from marge and I. Love from the McKinley clan
Dear Grandma & Grandpa, Mom & Dad,
Although we have our sadness here on earth we should realize that Karen is in the best place she will ever be. Rejoicing in the presence of our Savior and out of pain. Thank the Lord we were able to be blessed in having her in our lives! She will be missed but we shall see her again in God’s timing. What an amazing day that will be to all be in the family of God! My prayers are continuous and thoughts go out to you. xoxo
Love always <3
Sarah
Mr. and Mrs. Koehler-
I was so sorry to learn about the passing of Karen. I worked with Karen several years on a committee that selected students for prestigious awards. She was such a thoughtful, kind, and caring person who exhibited incredible passion and enthusiasm for her teaching and her students. She will be missed by many at West Chester University. My thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time.
I was so sad to hear that we lost such a spectacular person. Karen was a professor of mine during my undergraduate degree at WCU. We became friends after I graduated and began teaching at WCU myself years later. I thought of her often.
Dear Arlene and Ron, It has been a very difficult time for all of you, and now that God has called Karen home, may you be able to turn your eyes to heaven knowing that she is safely in God’s arms and her pain and long time suffering is behind her. May she be surrounded by her family and friends who have gone before her; and now be happily reunited with her dog, running and playing together.
Bro. And Sis. Kohler,
We were so sorry to hear of your loss. Our Prayers are with you. We love you both so much.
Dear Koehler family
I would like to express both emotions of joy and extreme saddness on the loss of Karen. I am so glad that she is finally out of pain and with our Lord that she faithfully followed and loved!
We spent time playing scrabble (she was hard to beat); exchanging thoughts on scripture; discussing healthy foods and praying together.
I was in a Bible Study with Karen and learned much. She taught me to ‘look through the eyes of other people’.. She will be missed by many.
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Koehler,
Karen was a true friend who will be deeply missed. We first met Karen when she signed up for a country line dancing course some 13 years ago. She used to joke about having two left feet, but actually she bacame quite a good dancer. Little did I realize at the time that she would also become one of my very best friends.
Karen was an exceptional person who loved animals. I know Karen is with Pepper Dog now and enjoying many long walks together.
The earth is somewhat dimmer these days, but heaven is shining even more brightly. If there is anything we can do for you or your family, please let us know.
With much love and deepest sympathy,
Debbie & Charlie
To the family of Karen:
I got to know Karen through the Blue Knights club where she was an honorary member. She was an inspiration to me when I was battling cancer and also, when my late husband was battling his cancer. What a great person she was! May you find comfort in knowing that she truly is with the Lord and is at peace.
Dear Mr & Mrs Kohler,
I just learned of Karen’s homegoing to Jesus…My heart is very sad, yet I know she is with our Lord. I met Karen several years ago when she donated her truck to Camp Cherith. I went down to get it and ended up riding motorcycles with her all weekend. What a delight! Karen and Pepper were my friends and she will be missed.
Dianne