Ernest
Ernest Koether
d. August 27, 2013
Ernest William Koether, 82, of La Grange died Tuesday, August 27th at St. Mark's Medical Center in La Grange, Texas.
He was born on May 21, 1931 in Torrington, Connecticut, the son of William and Minna (Reupke) Koether. He was married to Shirley Miner on June 13, 1953 in Winsted, Connecticut.
Ernie spent his youth in Connecticut with his family very active in the Germania Society. He started working at age 16 tempering and hardening steel in a furnace room, then got work laying carpet. With the onset of the Korean War he enlisted in the Navy at 20 years old and spent 2-1/2 years on the battleship 'Wisconsin' and spent the rest of his naval career as a hospital medic at the Portsmouth Virginia Naval hospital. He was discharged in February, 1955. He and Shirley moved to Melbourne Florida and he drove trucks, worked with his uncle at a gas station and finally embraced his Dale Carnegie training to develop his skills on sales and management with JCPenneys. He retired from JCPenneys in the mid 1980's.
He is survived by three sons, Ted and wife Renee(Mathews) Koether, David and wife Gesine(Tschiedel) Koether, and Brian and wife Allyson (Box) Koether; sisters, Hilda Weidhaas and Margaret Patterson; brother, Albert Koether; six grandchildren, Jodee (Koether) and husband Lance Walker, Steven Koether, Kody Koether, Kolton Koether, Hannah Koether and Phillip Koether; three great-grandchildren Cole, Waylon and Kaylee Walker; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Ernie lived a strict and regimented life he found in the Navy, had a unique way of communicating and leaves behind many memories. He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Shirley in 2010; and sister Trudi Liebermann. The family will have a private service at a later date.
He was born on May 21, 1931 in Torrington, Connecticut, the son of William and Minna (Reupke) Koether. He was married to Shirley Miner on June 13, 1953 in Winsted, Connecticut.
Ernie spent his youth in Connecticut with his family very active in the Germania Society. He started working at age 16 tempering and hardening steel in a furnace room, then got work laying carpet. With the onset of the Korean War he enlisted in the Navy at 20 years old and spent 2-1/2 years on the battleship 'Wisconsin' and spent the rest of his naval career as a hospital medic at the Portsmouth Virginia Naval hospital. He was discharged in February, 1955. He and Shirley moved to Melbourne Florida and he drove trucks, worked with his uncle at a gas station and finally embraced his Dale Carnegie training to develop his skills on sales and management with JCPenneys. He retired from JCPenneys in the mid 1980's.
He is survived by three sons, Ted and wife Renee(Mathews) Koether, David and wife Gesine(Tschiedel) Koether, and Brian and wife Allyson (Box) Koether; sisters, Hilda Weidhaas and Margaret Patterson; brother, Albert Koether; six grandchildren, Jodee (Koether) and husband Lance Walker, Steven Koether, Kody Koether, Kolton Koether, Hannah Koether and Phillip Koether; three great-grandchildren Cole, Waylon and Kaylee Walker; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Ernie lived a strict and regimented life he found in the Navy, had a unique way of communicating and leaves behind many memories. He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Shirley in 2010; and sister Trudi Liebermann. The family will have a private service at a later date.
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