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Funeral services for James Clayton Koehn, 87, of Fairview, will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, January 21, 2025 at the Fairview Church of God in Christ Mennonite. Burial follow at the Cedar Cemetery. Arrangements are by Fairview Funeral Home, Inc.
James Clayton Koehn (Jim) was born May 01,1937 to Cornelius and Katherine (Kahn) Koehn. He passed away on January 18,2025, reaching the ae of 87.
He was born at home just across the fence from his current home thus proving he was a homebody. He was born the third oldest in a family of 12. He grew up on the family farm milking and working the fields. He was a lover of animals and nature nurtured by his growing up years. He had a very happy childhood, often recounting the memories of hunting and running wild with his brothers and cousins that lived just a mile down the road.
He was a jack of all trades. He put this to use when he and mom built the house, we still live in. His true talent lay in mechanical work. He could tell at a glance what the make and model of a vehicle was. He was still asking mom every time we visited him in the nursing home if the car ran alright. Many holiday memories are of he and his brothers out in the yard with a hood up of various vehicles. They often reminisced of the hot rod they had built as young men. It had issues steering but it malfunctioned on the way home. They had to kick the tires to turn any of the corners on the way home. As they entered the drive the kick wasn't effective, and they went over the harrow right through the chicken house thus earning their parents' unhappiness.
He was 25 when he answered the call of his Lord and Savior. He was baptized into the Church of God in Christ Mennonite by Carl Nightingale. He quietly served his Lord. This gave him a steadfast and steady course through life with all its complexities.
He spent a couple of summers working for Don and Lois Nightingale harvesting wheat across the US and into Canada. Here is where he met me, Arlyn Haynes who was helping cook and tending children. We were married on March 24,1963, in Almena, Wisconsin. To this union was born Melanie and Sheila. Dad was a quiet and patient father teaching us many things by working with and alongside us. He gave us a steady and dependable foundation all throughout our lives. His quiet sense of humor smoothed any situation,
He spent 30 years of his life running road grader on most of the roads in Major County. He loved this job and the friendships he gained with the men he worked with.
When mom offered her help with the Levings triplets dad embraced the honoree title of Papa Jim. He enjoyed this as he had not been blessed with grandchildren of his own.
Dad had a stroke in 2011. This changed the mind that we had depended on for advice and fixing everything that needed fixing. He entered the Fairview Fellowship Home in June of 2024. This was not the choice that he loved, but he submitted and made the best of it. We are grateful for the love and care he was blessed with there.
He survives by his wife Arlyn and daughters Melanie and Sheila. Siblings: Fern (Galen) Koehn Hawkeye Iowa, Randy Koehn of Leland, MS and Lala Young, Fairview, OK Sister in Laws Virginia Koehn, OKC, OK, Mary Ann Koehn, Fairview, Ok, Naomi Koehn, Broken Arrow, Ok, Charlotte Wenger, Cumberland, WS, and Myrna Haynes, Bloomington, MN. And the many nieces and nephews
He was proceeded in death by his parents, parents in laws, 9 siblings, and 8 in laws.
Memorials may be made through the funeral home to the Hospice Circle of Love.
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