Montezuma - Keith Lavern Koehn was born September 1, 1937, to Otto and Carrie Koehn in rural Copeland, Kansas. He passed away March 27, 2024, at Bethel Home, Montezuma, Kansas, reaching the age of 86 years.

Dad received the first years of formal education in a country school near his home and successive years in Copeland public school. He spent his childhood with his family on the farm. He inherited skills that enabled him to repair almost anything. When Dad was 17, he had a new birth experience and was baptized into the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, at Montezuma, by Min Ervin Harms. Though he struggled with his nature, he was faithful to the end.

Lavern met his "sweetheart" Phyllis Rhodes when she came to Montezuma to visit. They were married in Iroquois, South Dakota, on July 20, 1958. Four daughters and one son were born to them. Mom died 8 months ago, and Dad often spoke with deep feeling how much he missed her.

In the early years of their marriage, Lavern worked for Chalmers and Borton, building concrete grain elevators. After settling back in Montezuma, Dad took a job with a carpenter crew, and when the building trade slowed down, he found employment on a farm for a couple years. After his Uncle George passed away unexpectedly, Dad picked up the electrical trade George left behind. He worked as a community electrician for
around thirty-five years. He received great satisfaction in a job well done. Dad had a keen appreciation for a humorous story or pun and was known for recounting them when an occasion provided opportunity.

In 1970 Lavern and Phyllis bought 10 acres with an old farmhouse, north of Montezuma. Over the next 15 years the family helped Dad renovate the entire house and clean up years of accumulated refuse and neglected outbuildings. Dad taught us many skills and we were blessed by the insights we gained from his remarkable range of knowledge as we became adults. We appreciated his guidance and advice.

Those left to cherish his memories are his children; Linda and Keith Ensz, Inman, Kansas, Loretta and Lyndon Toews, Montezuma, Kansas, Lois and Mike Ensz, Inman, Kansas, Brad and Laura Koehn, Sublette, Kansas, and LeAnne and Reuben Koehn, Gruver, Texas; seventeen grandchildren, and twenty-seven great grandchildren; one brother, Kenneth Koehn, one sister, Orpah Boehs and one sister-in-law, Crystal Koehn.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers; Norman, Warren, and Ivan, one sister, Arlene, two nephews and one niece.

Funeral service will be held at Montezuma Mennonite Church on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 10:30 AM.  Burial will follow at Montezuma Mennonite Cemetery in Montezuma.  Visitation will be at Swaim Funeral Chapel of Montezuma on Monday, April 1, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Memorials are suggested to Bethel Home in care of the funeral home.  Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guest book at www.swaimfuneralhome.com.