Lorraine "Lou" F. Kohl

Lorraine Francis Kohl (Lou), 85, of Sioux City, died on Tuesday, August 16, 2011, at Casa de Paz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 2121 W. 19th Street, after a short illness. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 20, 2011 at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1122 Jackson Street, Sioux City with Rev. R. Paul Johnston officiating. Military honors will conducted at the conclusion of the service. Visitation is scheduled for 5:00-8:00 p.m. on Friday at Nelson-Berger Northside Chapel, 822 Jennings Street. The family will be present from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and a short prayer service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Lou was born on November 9, 1925 in Fairbank, Iowa, the son of Frank and Marie Kohl. He attended school first in Fairbank and then in Waterloo, Iowa. Lou graduated from Waterloo East High School (in absentia) in 1945 while serving in the US Navy during World War II. Lou enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1944 and completed both basic training and advanced training as a signalman at the Farragut Naval Training Station in northern Idaho. Lou then served as a signalman 3rd class aboard the U.S.S. Mellette, APA 156, a fast attack troop transport ship named after Mellette County and the first governor of South Dakota. Lou participated in battles at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and witnessed the armistice signing ceremonies in Tokyo Bay in September, 1945. After the war, Lou first attended Iowa State Teachers College (now known as the University of Northern Iowa) and later earned a Bachelor of Science in Commerce (B.S.C.) degree in 1950 at the University of Iowa. After graduation, Lou worked as a salesman in the men's department at Black's Department Store in Waterloo and later worked for a manufacturing firm in Hudson, Iowa. In 1955, Lou moved to Sioux City and worked as a purchasing agent at Tower Construction Company. In 1963, Israel Kaplan hired Lou to manage Steffen Truck Equipment, later known as Steffen, Inc. During his years at Steffen, Lou worked to stabilize and then expand the business. After retiring from full-time employment with Steffen in 1995, Lou continued to work part-time for Steffen as a consultant, finally retiring completely from the business in 2003. Lou married Marie (Nymann) Kohl in Cedar Falls, Iowa on March 2, 1948. Lou and Marie had one son born in 1956, Steve, an attorney who practices law in Sioux City. Until the last 2-3 years, Lou had served as an usher at Trinity Lutheran Church and later served the church for a number of years as church treasurer. In his spare time Lou had enjoyed reading and playing golf. Lou is survived by his son, Steve, a brother-in-law, Dr. James E. Nymann, sisters-in-law, Janet Nymann and Carol Nymann, and a number of nieces and nephews. Lou was preceded in death by his wife, Marie N. Kohl, his parents, Frank and Marie (Schramm) Kohl, his brother, William Kohl, brothers-in-law, P.L. "Gus" Nymann and Dr. DeWayne S. Nymann, and a sister-in-law, Janet M. Butschy. The family requests that memorials be given in Lou's memory to Trinity Lutheran Church.