Eugene "Gene" Carl Koehler of Ventura passed away on April 19, 2019. He was born October 12, 1930 in Indianapolis, Indiana and has been a resident of Ventura since 1957.
Gene grew up as an only child in Indiana and loved helping his mother with her garden, raising chickens, and fixing things around the house. His parents knew right away Gene had the intelligence to accomplish many great things.
Gene graduated from Purdue University in 1952 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. Gene began his career with the Navy at Point Mugu in 1953 shortly after graduating from Purdue. Point Mugu's management quickly realized Gene's potential and promptly sent him to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he graduated with an M.S. in Electrical and Aeronautical Engineering in 1957.
It was in Cambridge at Harvard Square on a cold February day that Gene met his wife of 62 years, Esther Piermarini. They were married on May 25 th , 1957 and set out west to California on a journey together. Gene took great pride in raising his seven children and was the rock in a very close family. He was a beloved son, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. Gene absolutely loved family get-togethers and having his seven children around him. Teaching all the kids how to fix cars, work in the garden, shoot guns, and repair things around the house was his passion.
He was a true do-it-yourselfer. Gene's home was not only a home for his family, but many neighborhood kids spent time becoming part of the extended Koehler family. He was a man of few words but his actions spoke volumes about how much he cared about the people around him. Gene was an avid outdoorsman that found adventure alongside his family while hunting, fishing, and camping throughout the United States. At the age of 86, he was still hunting with his sons when he got his first Bison. He was a dog lover and German Shorthair Pointers have always been a part of his family. Along with his dogs, Gene enjoyed raising chickens and passing these traditions on to his grandchildren.
Gene started his career at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division in 1971. He was instrumental in developing, testing, and deploying numerous variants of the Harpoon and Tomahawk missiles and weapon systems. His excellent management skills, and the support and confidence he expressed in his employees, made him a most beloved supervisor. Gene also made his mark developing and training many new engineers that went on to serve the Navy with competence and dedication. As a result of his professionalism, and his ability to work with strongly diverse personalities, Gene was a valued asset to the people he supervised, the programs he worked on, the Navy as a whole, and to the United States of America. He retired in 2005.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents Emil and Marguerite Koehler and his grandson, Colt Rolin Koehler.
He is survived by his wife, Esther and his children and grandchildren; Eugene and Miriam, Gary Koehler of San Diego, CA., Susan and John, Catherine, Jonathon, Gregory and Elizabeth Hooker of Del Mar, CA., Byron and Pamela, Alexandra, Caroline, Sarah and Lisa Koehler of Fort Bragg, CA., Caroline and Michael, Kaitlin, Kelley and Grace Kehoe of San Marcos, CA., Robert and Kelly, Dianna and James Koehler of Santa Barbara, CA., Carl and Kathryn, Sophia, Olivia and Gianna Koehler of Davis, CA., Gregory and Danielle, Caden Koehler of Atascadero, CA., and granddaughter Allison Gutow and husband Andreas, great-grandson Dutch Gutow, of Boone, NC.
Celebration of Life Mass will be held Friday, May 3, 2019 at 11:30 am at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 3175 Telegraph Rd, Ventura, CA 93003. Internment will follow mass at Santa Clara Cemetery, 2370 N. H St., Oxnard, CA 93036. Arrangements are under the direction of the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, 757 E. Main Street, Ventura.