Walter Koehler

TAMMS, Ill. -- Walter Elwood Koehler, 77, of Tamms died Sunday, Dec. 17, 2006, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Feb. 8, 1929, in St. Louis, son of Walter Edward and Grace Vititoe Koehler. He married Marie Bradshaw.

Koehler retired from Continental Can in Crystal City, Mo., and had also been a truck driver. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Tamms and Veterans of Foreign Wars in Festus, Mo.

He served in the U.S. Navy.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Faith Williams of Phoenix, Ariz.; two sons, Walter Koehler Jr. of Shrewsbury, Mo., John Koehler of California; a stepdaughter, Viola Gillan of Dupo, Ill.; two brothers, Richard Koehler of St. Louis, Stanley Koehler of Warrenton, Mo.; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two stepgrandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. today at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms.

The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home, with the Revs. Kenneth Johnson and Carl Fisher officiating. Burial will be in Green Lawn Memorial Gardens.