Jacqueline Ann Kohl, age 66 of Ellis, passed away on Wednesday morning, August 24th in the home. She was born March 10th, 1950 in Gage, Oklahoma. Her adopted parents, Clyde and Ellen Graves, raised Jackie and her twin sister, Jody, in Belleville, Kansas, where she graduated from high school in 1968. Jackie studied education at Fort Hays State University, receiving a Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology, Masters Degree in Special Education, and Masters of Liberal Studies. Jackie was licensed by the Kansas State Board of Education from 1980 to 2014. She married James Kohl on June 5th, 1981 in Hays, KS. They renewed their vows in 1991 at St Mary’s Church in Ellis, KS.
Jackie’s passing was preceded by her husband Jim by just 21 months. She is survived by four sons; Sean Passmore of Lawrence, Kansas, Scott Kohl of Manhattan, Kansas, Rick Kohl and wife Kelly of Moundridge, Kansas and Dan Kohl and wife Tina of Schoenchen, Kansas; daughter, Kelly Passmore of Allen, Texas; sister, Jody Koerner and husband, Dick of Topeka, Kansas and five grandchildren, Nick Passmore of Lawrence, Trevor and Collin Kohl of Moundridge and Russ and Faith Kohl of Schoenchen.
Jackie led an active and productive life. As a single mother of two in the late 70s and very early 80s, she was able to work and go to college for higher education and to find a better job. FHSU is where she met her husband, Jim, who was studying Sociology at the time. With Jim, she found a loving husband and father to her children.
Jackie had a strong sense of family. She studied the history of the Kohl family and created numerous photo albums, charts and even a quilt containing historic family photos. She has always been a very caring mother, making sure her children had a loving father and likewise accepting Jim’s children as her own. Jackie’s grandchildren have always known her as a loving grandma, always eager to drive long distances to be at their big events.
Jackie was known by her friends and colleagues to be a generous person. If she knew a friend was in need, she was quick to offer real help. Christmas was a very special time for Jackie, giving her a chance to show her generosity in the form of gifts for her family, so much so that grandchildren would go home with full cars loaded with more toys than they could possibly have time to play with. All of Jackie’s children and grandchildren have a few Christmas gifts sitting in closets unused, but they just can’t get rid of them because they were gifts.
Jackie was a wonderful, courageous teacher. She worked diligently to continue her education for more accreditation as a teacher. She worked in special education, teaching children with disabilities and also very troubled children. She constantly advocated for her students, sometimes beyond the point that her administrative supervisors would have liked. She always did her best to make sure her students had the resources and support from the school and the State that they deserve.
Jackie took over managing the family farm after the passing of her husband, Jim. Many were shocked at her ability to pick up the reins. She not only kept the farm going but completed projects started and planned by Jim. She also worked to upgrade and improve the farm machinery, all making the farm run more efficiently. She was able to do this because she had always been by Jim’s side as a partner in his management of the farm.
Jackie was intensely interested in politics, always staying informed on issues and current events. She served her civic responsibility as a volunteer at her local voting place, a job she sometimes called awkward as a Democrat in a largely Republican area.
While retired from teaching and still managing the farm, Jackie kept herself quite busy socially. She was a great friend to many and was known to be especially active in their lives offering support and an ear to listen. More recently she organized trips near and far with her closest friends and worked with a group of classmates from high school. Jackie went to the gym several days per week and continued taking classes to make more and more complicated quilts between trips with friends and family. Jackie made everyone’s life she touched better and happier, and she will be greatly missed.
Services will be 10 AM Monday, August 29, 2016 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Ellis. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be Sunday 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM with a parish vigil service at 7:00 PM all at St. Mary’s Church.
Memorial contributions are suggested to DSNWK.
Sharon K. (Ruder) Nelson, age 69, ret. RN, passed away Saturday, August 27, 2016.
