Obituary of James J. Koehn

James “Jim” Joseph Koehn was born March 12, 1934, in Syracuse, Kansas, the first child of Simon H. and Barbara Helen Koehn. Jim spent the first 18 years of his life living in Horace, Kansas. The family then moved to Matheson, Colorado, in 1952 and then to Limon, Colorado. In 1954, he joined the Army serving at Fort Sill in Oklahoma and in Darmstadt, Germany. Jim had met the love of his life, Joyce Smiley, before leaving for the Army. Love letters were written almost every day. For Valentine’s Day, he mailed an engagement ring to Joyce. He came home from Germany in December 1956 and they were married in February 1957. Early in their marriage, Jim worked in the oil fields near Fort Morgan, Colorado, and later went to diesel mechanic school in Chicago. After school, he worked for several trucking firms around Denver and finally got a job with Martin Marietta, working on the Titan Missile site near Deer Trail, Colorado. They eventually moved their family, Jeanette Kay (Jeanie) and Douglas James, to Tuscan, Arizona. They met great friends in Tuscan and created many memories. Shortly after that, Floyd Smiley, Joyce’s father, called and asked them to come home to Limon to work on the ranch. Jim jumped at the chance, so they moved back to Limon. He ran cattle to make provision for his true passion, which was farming. Soon another little girl arrived, Lisa Jo Ann. Jim was a hard-working famer for nearly 60 years. He raised wheat and learned to love running an Angus cow-calf cattle operation. He served on the Limon School board and was on the board when the “new” gym was built. He also served on the Limon Co-op board. Jim and Joyce semiretired in 1990 and moved into the town of Limon, later turning the ranch over to their son Doug. They purchased a fifth-wheel trailer and spent time camping with their children and grandchildren and took several cross-country trips. As a lover of baseball, one of his most memorable trips was to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. Having been invited by Hall of Fame pitcher Goose Gossage, Jim and his family received first-class treatment. Jim was elated as he shot the breeze with dozens of Hall of Fame legends including Hank Aaron, Bob Feller, Johnny Bench and Tommy Lasorda. One of Jim’s greatest joys was his grandchildren. He would follow them all over the state, watching them play softball, volleyball, baseball, football, basketball and running track and field. His grandchildren lovingly remember his love pinches, his lead foot and how he’d “forget” about holes in the pasture, his love for Arby’s Jamocha shakes, his walking cane, his tongue sticking out when he was focused, his quick-wittedness, his huge hands and his tender heart. He made several trips to Alaska and Hawaii to spend time with his daughter, Jeanie, and her family. Jim’s greatest joy was his love for his wife Joyce. He would constantly tell her how beautiful she was and how much he loved her. Jim will be remembered for his “fast” moving scooter and the big smile on his face. Jim was beloved by all who knew him and he never met a stranger. He was a sweet and charming man who loved his family tremendously. Jim is survived by his wife of 64 years, Joyce Jean of Limon; son Douglas James Koehn and wife Joni of Limon; grandson Douglas Keith Koehn and wife Stevie, and great-granddaughters Aniya Mae and Azalea Rae of Honolulu, Hawaii; granddaughter Holly Renae Koehn of Limon; grandson James Tyler Koehn and wife Katie, and great-grandson Kip James of Limon; son-in-law Robert Mark Stamm and wife Carol of Anchorage, Alaska; granddaughter Elizabeth Anne Rue and husband Kevin, and great-granddaughter Emma June of Los Alamos, New Mexico; granddaughter Stephanie Jean Holmquist and husband Max, and great-grandsons Soren James (little Jim) and Henrik Robert of Anchorage, Alaska; daughter Lisa Jo Ann Yowell and husband Lynn of Limon; granddaughter Amie Marie Albrecht and husband Lucas, and great-grandchildren Brenleigh Rae and Tanner Drew of Wilber, Nebraska; grandson Dilan Edward Yowell and wife Stephanie of San Antonio, Texas; and many nieces, nephews and great friends. Jim was preceded in death by his daughter Jeanie. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the First United Methodist Church of Limon Memorial Fund in Jim’s name. This service can be streamed on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxcSEOmmTl8_XUu5Esx1WkQ/