Clarence Koehn

Mr. Clarence Koehn, 96, of Brooksville, MS passed away Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at his residence. Funeral services will be held at Brooksville Mennonite Church Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 10:30 a.m.  Burial will follow in the church cemetery.  A visitation will be held at the church Saturday from 6-8 p.m. Cockrell Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with arrangements. Memorials may be made to Oakwood Manor, 55 Oakwood Drive, Brooksville  MS  39739.

My dear husband, our father, and grandpa, great grandpa was born to Abe and Ida Schmidt Koehn on May 26, 1926, at Montezuma Kansas. He lived in the Montezuma and Ulysses areas for the first seven years of his life. He then moved with his family to Fairview, Oklahoma. It was there he received his education at three different schools. Due to the hard times, he was not able to attend school full time. His mother passed away when he was 10 years old leaving a family of six children. He learned to cook on a wood stove and cooked for his family, making the best biscuits. After he completed school, he left home to work for Tobe Boehs in custom harvesting. When he was 18 years old, he was drafted and served two years in Civilian Public Service working in Downy¸ ID, Three Rivers, CA, and finished his service at a TB Hospital in Livermore, CA. While he was stationed at Livermore, CA, he came under conviction of his sins and was converted. Dad was baptized into the Church of God in Christ Mennonite by Minister John A Koehn, on July 21, 1946, at Winton, CA. After his service, he returned to Oklahoma to work for a short time before moving to Kansas. In 1950 Dad fell in love with our Mother. Clarence married me, Celesta Unruh, on August 27, 1950, at Copeland, KS. They enjoyed 72 years of married life together. To this union were born six children: Jim, Fern, Deatta, Roger, Steve, and Keith. Dad was a farmer at heart and moved his family many miles to different places working on farms. Dad and Mom moved the family to Colorado, Kansas, California, Missouri, and Mississippi. It was always a dream of his to own a farm. In 1973 our family moved to Brooksville where Dad was finally able to own a farm. After our move to Brooksville, Dad would often say, “We live at the end of the road now, so this is where we’re going to stay.” True to his word, moving days were over for him and Mom. Dad loved the life of a farmer, raising crops and livestock. Dad lived at Brooksville, on the farm, the place he loved, for over 48 years. This is where he peacefully passed away at about sunrise on November 16, 2022. Several days before he passed, he suffered another stroke which left him unable to communicate very well. His face would light up with a look of recognition when we talked with him. We as the family are so glad he didn’t suffer much at the end. Dad loved the Church and the Faith. Church attendance was always very important to him. Dad was a man of prayer and would often kneel in prayer. In one of his recent prayers he prayed, “Oh God, that we would keep the Faith and that we would all be saved.” In his prayers he would often mention individual family names. Morning family devotions were always important to him. We children often remember seeing him read his Bible morning and evening, and we fondly remember the Bible stories he read to us. In the last few years, as Dad’s health declined, the family arranged home health care for Dad. Dad had an incredibly deep love for our Mother. He would often tell the nurses who cared for him how special a lady Mom was. Dad was a man of principle and honesty and worked very hard to provide for his family. Dad would often lend a helping hand to a neighbor. It was important to him to have compassion for those who suffered loss. He was willing to offer his time and money to those in need. He leaves a priceless legacy in example and spirit.

His survivors include, his beloved wife, Celesta, children, Fern and Ken Johnson, Macon, MS, Jim and Carmen, Dumas, AR, Deatta and Mike Lackey, Independence, MO, Daughter-in-law, Colleen Koehn, Macon, MS, Steve and Diane, Brooksville, MS, Keith and Brenda, Moundridge, KS, 23 grandchildren, 52 great-grandchildren, one stepsister, one stepbrother, six brothers-in-laws, and five sisters-in-laws.

He was preceded in death by his son, Roger, parents, four brothers, one sister, one daughter-in-law, one son-in-law, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

The family sincerely appreciates each care giver and all those who visited our parents during the last four years that Dad was on hospice. The family wants to extend a special thank you to all who have reached out in sympathy and prayer during this time.