Herald Coaster, February 27, 2004:

Funeral services for Fritz Koehne, Jr. of Fairchilds, will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 29, 2004, at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church of Needville. Interment will follow at Needville Public Cemetery, after which the family has invited guests to the St. Paul's Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall. Services will be officiated by the Rev. James Aubey and the Rev. Charles Teykl. Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, 2004, at the Garmany & Carden Funeral Chapel in Needville.

Fritz was born March 23, 1923 in Brenham to Fritz Koehne, Sr. and Augusta Schofstall Koehne. He passed away peacefully Feb. 26, 2004 at Polly Ryon Memorial Hospital after a long battle with cancer.

Fritz retired after 20 years with the Texas Highway Department and worked 20 years prior in farming and on oil rigs. He is a long-time resident of Fairchilds who enjoyed playing his accordion to family and friends and those at the Needville SPJST Rest Home. He also enjoyed dancing with his wife, gardening and taking care of his chickens and pets. He was also someone that enjoyed laughter and telling stories, and anyone he met soon became a friend.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Fritz and Augusta Koehne; his children, Daniel and Gladys; his sisters, Louise Koehne, Sophie Preuss, and Elsie Preuss; his brothers, Henry, Willie, Charlie, Otto, Reinhardt, Raymond, Alfred, and Lonnie.

He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Georgia Kucera Koehne; his daughters, Eileen Lolley and husband, Cleve, of Gary, Jeanette Newman and husband, Vincent, of Fairchilds, and Lorraine Niemeyer and husband, Bruce, of Fairchilds; sister, Esther Market of Houston; grandchildren, Cheryl Newman and her fiance, Kelley Bradley, of Houston, Amanda Newman Parker and husband, Jim, of Melissa, and Lynnette Newman of Houston. He is also survived by numerous other special family and friends.

Pallbearers will include David Koehne of Richmond, Roger Koehne of Rosenberg, Leslie Pieper of Needville, James Preuss of Rosenberg, Wilbert Preuss, Jr. of Beasley, and Daniel Ybarra of Fairchilds. Honorary pallbearers are Tommy Edmonds of Fairchilds and Danny Koehne of Richmond.

A very special thank you for those who made his life special, the visitations, cards, letters and gifts he received in his hospital stay, and the many doctors and nursing staff at Polly Ryon Hospital who made his time there more comfortable.

For those wishing, memorial contributions may be made in his memory to St. Paul's Presbyterian Church of Needville Memorial or Building fund.

Funeral services are under the direction of Garmany & Carden Funeral Directors, Inc., 3103 School St. in Needville. 979-793-4515.