Alice Florence Kohler, age 89, of Tyler, Minnesota, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Saturday November 4, 2023 while residing at the Lockwood House of Prairie Home Hospice and Community Center in Marshall, Minnesota. A visitation will be Friday, November 10 at St. Dionysius Catholic church from 4:30 – 7:00 PM with a prayer service to begin at 6:30 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday, November 11 at 10:30 AM at the church with burial to follow at St. Dionysius Catholic Cemetery. The Hartquist Funeral Home’s Tyler Chapel is handling the arrangements.
Alice Florence (Kerkaert) Kohler was born April 23, 1934 in Lynd, Minnesota to Charles and Rosalia Kerkaert. She grew up on a farm in Lynd, attending school in District #62, Island Lake Township, through 5th grade and then Lynd High School where she graduated in 1952. Growing up during the Great Depression gave Alice a strength that helped her survive breast cancer as an adult. On November 30, 1957, Alice was united in marriage to Leo Joseph Kohler at St. Edwards Catholic Church in Minneota, Minnesota. They made their home on the Kohler Family Dairy Farm north of Tyler. They were blessed with eight children. Alice worked on the dairy farm from 1957 to 1999 when she and Leo retired together and moved into Tyler. She worked as a substitute cook at the Tyler school kitchen through 2004. She was a faithful member of St. Dionysius Catholic Church where she served on the Council of Catholic Women and mission circle. Alice took joy in reading, quilting, sewing, crocheting, gardening, baking and cooking, listening to music, bird watching, word searches and board games. She was a card shark who loved playing cards with friends and family and found delight regularly attending her Bunco Club. She reveled in hosting and preparing feasts for family and friends, cherishing and holding very near and dear the time spent together. Alice loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was an active member of the Senior Center and served on the board. She received awards for her quilting projects and thoroughly enjoyed making quilts for all her children and grandchildren. She was known for remembering everyone’s special occasion and even more so for the handwritten letters she sent for birthdays and anniversaries. Alice moved into assisted living at Boulder Estates in Marshall in late December of 2022. After several hospitalizations and short-term nursing home stays at Avera Morningside Heights in Marshall, MN, she passed away shortly after moving into Prairie Home Hospice and Community Care at Lockwood House at the age of 89 years, 6 months and 12 days.
Alice is survived by her children, Darwin (Lori Larimer) of Rochester, Minnesota, Patricia (Keith Erickson) of Rochester, Steve (Fathya Abdullah) of New Hope, Minnesota, Gregory (Teresa) of Lake Benton, Tamara (Richard Thompson) of Andover, Minnesota, Karen (Stephen Nelsen) of Hutchinson, and Jason (Anne Marie) of Carmel, Indiana; sisters-in-law JoAnn Kerkaert of St. Michael, and Cathy Kerkaert of Sioux Falls; 17 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister-in-law Ruth Kerkaert; son, Jeffrey; brothers, Andrew and Robert Kerkaert; husband, Leo; and grandson, Zachary Thompson.
Please direct memorial donations to: St. Dionysius Catholic Church or American Cancer Society – Breast Cancer
