Richard Gary Kohler

Richard Gary Kohler, born November 22, 1944, in Bronx, N.Y. passed away on March 18, 2020, at his home in Gainesville, GA, with his wife and daughters by his side. Rich grew up in the Bronx and Kings Park, NY, where he was a star basketball player.  He continued to play during his time at SUNY Oswego, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Arts and a Master’s degree in Guidance.  He maintained close friendships with his college fraternity brothers in Delta Kappa Kappa throughout the years. He taught Shop, Technology, and Computer Sciences in Smithtown, N.Y. for 33 years.  He also owned and operated Pool Pro, a successful swimming pool repair business. Throughout his life, Rich was an avid sailor, world traveler, and trivia buff. He was an enthusiastic tennis player in his later years. He is survived by his wife, Irene Kohler, his daughters Heather Kohler Valpreda (Mark) and Holly E. Duncan (Lee) and granddaughter, Hannah Duncan, his step-son Gary O’Donnell, his sister Joyce Bigelow (Wil), his sister-in-law, Penny Kohler, his niece Diane Kohler and her sons, Alexander and Sebastian Sammons, and his niece Stacy Marlin (Mike) and their children Sydney, Sierra, and Henry. Rich was predeceased by his parents, Edward and Harriet Kohler and his brother Ed Kohler. A memorial service will be held this summer in California. Gifts in his memory can be sent to the Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease Foundation. http://cjdfoundation.org.