Avis LaNelle Kohlhof

KOHLHOF GERNHART ROOK

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 4/12/2010 at 14:02:32

Sioux City Journal
28 January 2003

Avis L. Kohlhof, 77, of Sioux City died Thursday, Jan. 23, 2003, at her residence in Sioux City of congestive heart failure.

Memorial services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Nelson-Berger Northside Chapel. The cremains will be interred in Logan Park Cemetery, beside her late husband. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service Thursday at the funeral home.

Born in Sioux City on July 20, 1925, Avis LaNelle was the daughter of Olen B. and Julia (Gernhart) Rook. She graduated from Central High School in 1943, Graceland College in 1945, and received a bachelor of arts degree in 1960 from Morningside College.

Avis had a lifelong career in teaching. From 1955 to her retirement in 1983, she taught hundreds of youngsters in the first grade and kindergarten at Riverview Elementary School, Sioux City Public Schools.

On Aug. 21, 1949, she married Kenneth E. Kohlhof of Climbing Hill, Iowa, at the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Sioux City. To this union two children, both daughters, were born, Karen Julia in Los Angeles, Calif., and Diane Louise in Sioux City. Married for 37 years, she was preceded in death by Kenneth on May 20, 1987.

Avis had a lovely soprano voice, which she shared with her family, church, community and especially her young students. For many years, she enjoyed her place in "Choralation," a Sioux City women's chorus, and the Sioux City Women's Club. She was an accomplished athlete who loved figure skating and tennis in her younger years and in later years enjoyed watching these sports as well as golfing and cards. She took great pride and pleasure in her three grandchildren. A wonderful cook, she was known for her lemon meringue pie. She always had a cat on her lap and one (or two) in her heart. Possessing a strong will and great wit, no one loved a good joke more than Avis. Much loved, she will be greatly missed by family and friends.

Survivors include two daughters and their husbands, Karen and John Rivenburgh of Woodinville, Wash., and Diane and Nick Bogenrief of Hinton, Iowa; and her grandchildren, Amanda Bogenrief of Iowa City, Iowa, and Hannah and Paul Rivenburgh of Woodinville, Wash.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents and her only sister, Maxcean V. Rook.

The family requests that memorial gifts in Avis' name be made to Hospice of Siouxland, Siouxland Regional Cancer Center Cancer Survivors or the Humane Society.