Larry Lee Koehnen, age 66 of Lonsdale, formerly of Chaska, passed away on Sunday, September 24, 2017. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, September 28, 2017 at 11:00AM with a visitation from 9:30-11:00AM, all at Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, Prior Lake. Pastor Dianna Hunstad will preside. Larry will be laid to rest at Credit River Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Allen Henry, Mike Buss, Stacia Buss, Tyler Buss, Mark Koehnen, and Tom Peterson. Honorary pallbearers will be Logan Buss, Grace Henry, and Jackson Henry. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to be distributed by the family to Larry’s favorite charities.
On January 19, 1951 at St. Francis Regional Medical Center, parents Earl and Betty Koehnen celebrated the birth of their son, Larry Lee Koehnen. He was the second of six children. Along with his siblings, Larry enjoyed growing up in Chaska where he spent his childhood enjoying the outdoors—fishing and hunting squirrel and rabbit filled his time. In high school, Larry played on the football team and graduated in 1969.
Following his high school graduation, Larry worked numerous jobs. Eventually, He began working in inventory control with Star Tex of Lakeville. He was there for nearly 20 years. Due to medical challenges, Larry retired. Not willing to stay idle, Larry spent time with his family, traveling, and going fishing. Along with his brother John, Larry relished weekends up north fishing. Whenever there was the chance to fish, Larry took it!
It was in high school that Larry briefly dated Marilyn Johnson, but they went their separate ways. As fate would have it, years later they rekindled their relationship after a friend encouraged them to reunite. On December 3, 1987 the couple exchanged wedding vows. Together they enjoyed traveling. They went on trips to Alaska, Hawaii, the Grand Canyon, and took road trips to Branson, Galena, and Wyoming.
Larry loved his family. He was a proud grandpa—Larry enjoyed playing cards and watching the Packers and movies with his grandchildren. When faced with the decision of being placed on hospice or enduring rigorous dialysis, Larry chose dialysis in order to be with his family longer.
Larry’s kind, humorous spirit will live on in his wife, Marilyn Koehnen; daughter, Rachael (Rob) Bossley; step-children, Stacia (Mike) Buss, Allen (Cathy) Henry; grandchildren, Mercedes Abrahamson, Sophia Bossley, Sage Bossley, Tyler Buss, Logan Buss, Grace Henry, Jackson Henry; 2 great-grandchildren; siblings, Steve Koehnen (Pat), Mark Koehnen(Jan), John (Sandy) Koehnen, Sandy Thurston, Greg Koehnen; other loving relatives and friends.
Larry is greeted in Heaven by his parents, Earl (Betty) Koehnen; step-mother, Eunice Koehnen, and his step-son, Douglas Henry.
The Koehnen family is proudly cared for by the staff of Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home & Cremation.
