Kris R. Kohne, 66, passed away peacefully at home, on Saturday Jan. 23, 2016, after a long illness. He was born Jan. 26, 1949, in Bloomington, to Elizabeth Neuer Kohne and Robert W. Kohne.
The family moved to Lafayette, Indiana and Kris graduated from Lafayette Jefferson High School in 1967. It was in Lafayette that he met and married the love of his life, Carol (“Stella”) Ober on June 7, 1975. They celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in 2015. Kris attended Purdue University, Portland (Oregon) School of Art and Indiana Vocational Technical College. He was employed at Hillerich and Bradsby in Louisville, Ky. and W. L. Gore and Associates in Flagstaff, Arizona as a Journeyman Master Machinist. While in Louisville, he and Stella bought a house built in 1874, that had fallen into disrepair, and spent many years restoring it to its original beauty.
Kris always enjoyed tinkering with mechanical objects. At age five he displayed amazing abilities when he took apart the dryer “to see how it works” and reassembled it in perfect working order. He was very generous with his knowledge and skills and would often fix machines or appliances for people or teach them how to do it themselves. He was however a perfectionist, allowing no short cuts. IF he fixed something, or if you learned something mechanical from him, it was done right.
Kris also enjoyed being in the outdoors. He especially liked hunting mushrooms, keeping bees, panning for gold, cultivating plants and of course, working on cars. While indoors he was a collector of coins, stamps, sports memorabilia and antiques.
Kris is joining several family members in Heaven including his maternal and paternal grandparents his father, Bob Kohne; his sister, Kathy Kohne and his brother, Steve Kohne.
In addition to Stella/Carol Kohne of Flagstaff, Ariz., he leaves behind his mother, Elizabeth Neuer of Camden, Ind.; stepmother, Shay Kohne of Lafayette; brother, Patrick (Cindy) Kohne of Greenfield; brother, Peter (Sheila) Kohne of Lafayette and many nieces and nephews. He was especially close to Erin Strain and Will Strain of Colorado and several dear friends in and around Lafayette and Flagstaff. He will be greatly missed.
Services will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Flagstaff Shelter Services (4185 East Huntington Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86004), the Coco-nuts Robotics team of Coconino High School (2801 N. Izabel Street, Flagstaff, AZ 86004) or the charity of your choice.
Condolences may be left at www.norvelowensmortuary.com
Arrangements by Norvel Owens Mortuary
