James Kohl, Jr

JAMES GLENN KOHL, JR., PASSED AWAY ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 2016, WHILE VISITING HIS SMITHVILLE, TEXAS PROPERTY. HE RESIDED IN GARDEN RIDGE, TEXAS, WITH HIS WIFE, KATE.

JIM WAS BORN IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA ON SEPTEMBER 29, 1940. HE WAS PRE-DECEASED BY HIS FATHER, JAMES GLENN KOHL; MOTHER, MINNIE PURIFOY KOHL, AND HIS BROTHER, ROBERT KOHL.

HE GRADUATED FROM NORTH PHOENIX HIGH IN 1958, HE GRADUATED FROM ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY WITH AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEGREE IN 1962. HE RECEIVED A WORK STUDY PROGRAM AT SANDIA LABS IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, TO RECEIVE A MASTER'S DEGREE IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING. IN 1971, HE GRADUATED WITH A MASTERS IN INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT, AT THUNDERBIRD SCHOOL OF GLOBAL MANAGEMENT. THAT FALL, HE JOINED THE PEACE CORPS AND WENT TO BRAZIL, WHERE HE DID INDUSTRIAL AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT WORK FOR THE STATE OF MINAS GERIAS. IN 1974, HE BEGAN WORK WITH ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS IN SAO PAULO, LIVING IN BRAZIL FOR 11 YEARS. JIM WORKED FOR, ITW FOR OVER 25 YEARS, RETIRING IN 2008, AS PRESIDENT OF ITW MINIGRIP. HE LOVED HIS SEGUIN, TX MINIGRIP "FAMILY".

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL WAS A HUGE PART OF JIM'S LIFE; HE OVERSAW OPENING BUSINESS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD: THE NETHERLANDS, JAPAN, CHINA, THAILAND, BRAZIL, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND. PERSONALLY, HE AND HIS WIFE, KATE, TRAVELED VIRTUALLY EVERY CONTINENT AND HIS #1 GOAL WAS TO SEE MORE!

JIM WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE GARDEN RIDGE LION'S CLUB, AND SERVED ON THE GARDEN RIDGE WATER BOARD.

HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, KATE, AND 4 CHILDREN: JENNIFER KOHL JUCA AND SON-IN-LAW RICARDO JUCA, BRIENNE COX WHITLEY AND SON-IN-LAW E.J. WHITLEY, STEVEN JAMES KOHL, AND CONLIN SULLIVAN COX. HE ADORED HIS 8 GRANDCHILDREN AND 2 GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, AND LOVED SPENDING TIME WITH THEM. HE WAS LOVINGLY KNOWN AS "PEEPAW".

EVERYONE WHO KNEW JIM LOVED AND RESPECTED HIM FOR HIS KINDNESS, INTELLIGENCE AND PATIENCE. HE WILL BE MISSED FOREVER.

MEMORIAL SERVICE ON NOVEMBER 7, AT 10:00 AT OAKWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH, NEW BRAUFELS, TX