Wern Koelzer was the last surviving of nine children in his family of six girls (one of whom died as an infant) and three boys.
A Navy pilot and veteran of WW II, he joined the Navy the day he graduated from high school in 1942. He once said that he went out the back door of the school to sign up. He tried to join the Air Force but they didn't take him, so he went to the Navy recruiters next door and they took him immediately.
His older brother Nick wrote that he was very proud of Wern when Wern earned his wings. "Wern has struggled long and hard for this honor, and I am really proud of him," Nick said (in a 1944 letter to the Christian Brothers who were their teachers at Price College in Amarillo).
Wern said he learned about the theory of positive thinking from his teachers at his high school and tried to practice it all his life. He said he never made a lot of money in his life but he was always happy. And so he seemed to be, in just about every photo.
He once said that it was a great moment for him when he was able to pin his own gold wings onto his son when his son in turn became a pilot.
He also said that he believed the Bermuda Triangle exists, because on one of the flights from their base in Ft. Lauderdale, he was the navigator that time. At some point out over the water, all their gauges and even their watches started going crazy, round and round, wouldn't stop. They lost their bearings at that point, and had no idea where they were, just over the water, lost sight of land, and had no idea how long they had been out there. Flying in circles probably; eventually they caught sight of land and headed back that way, and then found their base. When they landed, the mechanic who checked out their plane said they had landed "with only the smell of fuel in their tank" was the way Wern put it. And from then on, he knew there was something going on with the Bermuda Triangle, which is still a mystery.
From Wern Koelzer's obituary:
"He was a 1942 graduate of Price College, which is currently Holy Cross Catholic Academy of Amarillo, Texas. He served as a Pilot in the United States Navy, during World War II, where he flew a TBM Avenger and was a flight instructor in Ft. Lauderdale. Mr. Koelzer was a very active member of the St. Anthony's Catholic Church where he served as a Eucharistic Minister. He helped decorate and maintain the church facility."
From http://www.parksidechapelfh.com/services.asp?locid=1&page=odetail&id=120#.UstMwpvTZwQ
Wern Koelzer is survived by his four children and three grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins who will remember him fondly.
A Navy pilot and veteran of WW II, he joined the Navy the day he graduated from high school in 1942. He once said that he went out the back door of the school to sign up. He tried to join the Air Force but they didn't take him, so he went to the Navy recruiters next door and they took him immediately.
His older brother Nick wrote that he was very proud of Wern when Wern earned his wings. "Wern has struggled long and hard for this honor, and I am really proud of him," Nick said (in a 1944 letter to the Christian Brothers who were their teachers at Price College in Amarillo).
Wern said he learned about the theory of positive thinking from his teachers at his high school and tried to practice it all his life. He said he never made a lot of money in his life but he was always happy. And so he seemed to be, in just about every photo.
He once said that it was a great moment for him when he was able to pin his own gold wings onto his son when his son in turn became a pilot.
He also said that he believed the Bermuda Triangle exists, because on one of the flights from their base in Ft. Lauderdale, he was the navigator that time. At some point out over the water, all their gauges and even their watches started going crazy, round and round, wouldn't stop. They lost their bearings at that point, and had no idea where they were, just over the water, lost sight of land, and had no idea how long they had been out there. Flying in circles probably; eventually they caught sight of land and headed back that way, and then found their base. When they landed, the mechanic who checked out their plane said they had landed "with only the smell of fuel in their tank" was the way Wern put it. And from then on, he knew there was something going on with the Bermuda Triangle, which is still a mystery.
From Wern Koelzer's obituary:
"He was a 1942 graduate of Price College, which is currently Holy Cross Catholic Academy of Amarillo, Texas. He served as a Pilot in the United States Navy, during World War II, where he flew a TBM Avenger and was a flight instructor in Ft. Lauderdale. Mr. Koelzer was a very active member of the St. Anthony's Catholic Church where he served as a Eucharistic Minister. He helped decorate and maintain the church facility."
From http://www.parksidechapelfh.com/services.asp?locid=1&page=odetail&id=120#.UstMwpvTZwQ
Wern Koelzer is survived by his four children and three grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins who will remember him fondly.
Wern Koelzer was the last surviving of nine children in his family of six girls (one of whom died as an infant) and three boys.
A Navy pilot and veteran of WW II, he joined the Navy the day he graduated from high school in 1942. He once said that he went out the back door of the school to sign up. He tried to join the Air Force but they didn't take him, so he went to the Navy recruiters next door and they took him immediately.
His older brother Nick wrote that he was very proud of Wern when Wern earned his wings. "Wern has struggled long and hard for this honor, and I am really proud of him," Nick said (in a 1944 letter to the Christian Brothers who were their teachers at Price College in Amarillo).
Wern said he learned about the theory of positive thinking from his teachers at his high school and tried to practice it all his life. He said he never made a lot of money in his life but he was always happy. And so he seemed to be, in just about every photo.
He once said that it was a great moment for him when he was able to pin his own gold wings onto his son when his son in turn became a pilot.
He also said that he believed the Bermuda Triangle exists, because on one of the flights from their base in Ft. Lauderdale, he was the navigator that time. At some point out over the water, all their gauges and even their watches started going crazy, round and round, wouldn't stop. They lost their bearings at that point, and had no idea where they were, just over the water, lost sight of land, and had no idea how long they had been out there. Flying in circles probably; eventually they caught sight of land and headed back that way, and then found their base. When they landed, the mechanic who checked out their plane said they had landed "with only the smell of fuel in their tank" was the way Wern put it. And from then on, he knew there was something going on with the Bermuda Triangle, which is still a mystery.
From Wern Koelzer's obituary:
"He was a 1942 graduate of Price College, which is currently Holy Cross Catholic Academy of Amarillo, Texas. He served as a Pilot in the United States Navy, during World War II, where he flew a TBM Avenger and was a flight instructor in Ft. Lauderdale. Mr. Koelzer was a very active member of the St. Anthony's Catholic Church where he served as a Eucharistic Minister. He helped decorate and maintain the church facility."
From http://www.parksidechapelfh.com/services.asp?locid=1&page=odetail&id=120#.UstMwpvTZwQ
Wern Koelzer is survived by his four children and three grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins who will remember him fondly.
A Navy pilot and veteran of WW II, he joined the Navy the day he graduated from high school in 1942. He once said that he went out the back door of the school to sign up. He tried to join the Air Force but they didn't take him, so he went to the Navy recruiters next door and they took him immediately.
His older brother Nick wrote that he was very proud of Wern when Wern earned his wings. "Wern has struggled long and hard for this honor, and I am really proud of him," Nick said (in a 1944 letter to the Christian Brothers who were their teachers at Price College in Amarillo).
Wern said he learned about the theory of positive thinking from his teachers at his high school and tried to practice it all his life. He said he never made a lot of money in his life but he was always happy. And so he seemed to be, in just about every photo.
He once said that it was a great moment for him when he was able to pin his own gold wings onto his son when his son in turn became a pilot.
He also said that he believed the Bermuda Triangle exists, because on one of the flights from their base in Ft. Lauderdale, he was the navigator that time. At some point out over the water, all their gauges and even their watches started going crazy, round and round, wouldn't stop. They lost their bearings at that point, and had no idea where they were, just over the water, lost sight of land, and had no idea how long they had been out there. Flying in circles probably; eventually they caught sight of land and headed back that way, and then found their base. When they landed, the mechanic who checked out their plane said they had landed "with only the smell of fuel in their tank" was the way Wern put it. And from then on, he knew there was something going on with the Bermuda Triangle, which is still a mystery.
From Wern Koelzer's obituary:
"He was a 1942 graduate of Price College, which is currently Holy Cross Catholic Academy of Amarillo, Texas. He served as a Pilot in the United States Navy, during World War II, where he flew a TBM Avenger and was a flight instructor in Ft. Lauderdale. Mr. Koelzer was a very active member of the St. Anthony's Catholic Church where he served as a Eucharistic Minister. He helped decorate and maintain the church facility."
From http://www.parksidechapelfh.com/services.asp?locid=1&page=odetail&id=120#.UstMwpvTZwQ
Wern Koelzer is survived by his four children and three grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins who will remember him fondly.
Family Members
Siblings
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Clara Marie Koelzer
1906–1906
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Ursula Koelzer Herr
1908–1993
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Mienard John "Mike" Koelzer
1909–1993
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Gertrude Koelzer Neill Kottel
1911–1987
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Adeline Magdalena Koelzer Vance
1916–1973
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Sr Regina Veronica Mary Koelzer
1918–1988
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Nicholas Francis "Nick" Koelzer
1920–1976
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Marcellia Emma Marie "Marcy" Koelzer
1926–2003
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