San Joaquin County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....Kohnke, Otto Henry March 22, 2005 ********************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/usgenweb/obits/obitsca/obitsca.htm ********************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Cheryl Davis-Holman Cis1052@aol.com April 2, 2005, 11:05 am The Record March 29, 2005 Galt Otto Henry Kohnke August 20, 1913 - March 22, 2005 Otto Henry Kohnke, born on August 20, 1913 about two miles north of Lodi, CA peacefully passed away on the evening of March 22, 2005 in Galt, CA. Otto was Preceded in death by his wife of 40 years, Aileen Kohnke; his brother, John Kohnke; sisters, Anita Tennison, Amanda Loney; recently nephew Jack Loney and niece Lorraine Colins. He is survived by his sister Alvina Vineyard; his son, Rod Kohnke, his wife Terri; step-daughter, Laura Cambell, her husband Virgil; step-son Ray Lyons and their families. He also leaves behind 11 grandchildren, including Ryan Frazier, Robert Kohnke, Jennifer Kohnke, Ed Cambell. Otto also has 15 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews including, Susan Lund, Donna Mae McGugan, Jean Boger, Barbara Taylor, Dorothy Pruden, Ed Tennison, Lucille Berndt, Ralph Vineyard and Nancy Meeks. Otto was five years old when he moved in the autumn of 1917 to what was then known as Galt Road when his father Henry Kohnke purchased 560 acres on Dry Creek about eight miles east of Galt. The ranch was locally known as the old West place. His father brought about 300 head of sheep to the ranch. Otto attended the old Brown District School with his brother and sisters, as well as local neighbors. He attended Galt High School for two years before he was needed to work on the family farm which now included the White Ranch that bordered the Kohnke Ranch to the north. At the age of 21 years old, Otto, with his brother John, bought Emerson Ranch which bordered the Kohnke Ranch to the east. During World War II, even though he was 1A, Otto fought the war on the home front. Every family farm during the war had one male child stay home to work the farm. He was a member of the Civil Defence Service and continued to build the ranch from a sheep ranch to cattle ranch while his brother John was away. When his mother passed away in 1955, Otto and his brother John became partners in the family ranch and ran the family dairy. In the late 1950's he met Aileen Lyons. In April of 1960 they were married. Otto adopted her youngest son Rod, changed his last name to Kohnke and raised him as his own. During this time in the late 50's and early 60's, Otto also started his land leveling business becoming one of the area's best land levelers continuing his business through the 1990's. He was also well known for his vast knowledge of mechanics with Caterpillars and farm implements. He loved to design, build and weld various types of farm and ranch items and equipment. Otto was a hands-on type of businessman. He helped feed his cattle every morning through his 90's as well as managing the family finances. He is a lasting part of five generations of Kohnke's to live and work on the family ranch as well as countless numbers of nieces, nephews, cousins, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Otto will be remembered as a good, honest, hard working man who loved his family and his numerous friends. Friends are invited for a visitation on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 and Wednesday, March 30, 2005 from 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Gierhart-Wells & Donahue Funeral Home, 123 North School St., Lodi, CA and to a Funeral service on Thursday, March 31, 2005 in the Gierhart-Wells & Donahue Funeral Home Chapel at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Cherokee Memorial Park, Lodi, CA. A reception for family and friends will be held at the Herald Fire Dept. Community Center located at 12746 Ivie Road in Herald, CA off Hwy. 104 (Twin Cities Road). Gierhart-Wells & Donahue Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/sanjoaquin/obits/kohnke6925gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/caobfiles/ File size: 4.3 Kb