Funeral services for Claude W. Koehn, 91, Ringwood, will be 10:30 am, Saturday, July 27, 2019 at the Church of God in Christ Mennonite, Fairview, Oklahoma.  Deacons Clark Boehs, Rodney Wedel and Reverend Loyd Nightingale will officiate. Burial will follow in Cedar Cemetery. Arrangements are by Fairview Funeral Home Inc.

Claude Willie Koehn was born July 9, 1928, in Fairview, Oklahoma, to Nathanial and Linda Anna (Kehn) Koehn. Raised in the Fairview areas, Claude attended Greenvalley Country School, located on the corner of what would later be his Dad's farm. Claude met the love of his life Elsie Mae Jantz and the couple was married in Fairview on September 17, 1949 and made their home near Ringwood, Oklahoma. They were blessed with three children, Dennis, Debbie and Erma Jean.

Claude began working as a mud man for Richard Nightingale. During the war he built county roads near the Salt Plains area. Learning the art of brick masonry from his brothers Harold and Martin, Claude was not only a brick layer, but a talented, craftsmen. He could fix chimneys that air blew through and make them airtight and when he was finished they were built solid and right.  His work can be seen in the brick of the Meno Bank Drive Thru, the Fairview Bank and the Ringwood Car Wash just to name a few.  Claude was also a good mechanic. He worked on all sorts of small engines, chainsaws, water pumps, augers and many lawn mowers. Friends and neighbors would drop things off in his yard and he would fix them without knowing what was wrong or whose they were. He never charged much for the work because in his eyes it was like stealing if he overcharged someone. He also could build anything he set his mind to. A shy guy, he was never one to speak first and he never said a harsh word about anyone.

Claude and Elsie enjoyed traveling to the mountains and camping out with Lawrence's family. He loved to fish, pheasant hunt, Fords, Molly B Polka Show and homemade Butterfinger ice cream. Attending Steam Engine shows and rebuilding John Deere tractors were some of his favorites. He rebuilt three old tractors, a GP, an A and a D.

Preceding him in death were his parents, seven brothers and one sister.

Left to cherish his memory are: his wife Elsie of 70 years, two daughters; Erma Jean and Paul Laughead and Debbie and Doug McCreary, son, Dennis and Shelia Koehn, one sister, Rosetta Schmidt, 8 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Memorials may be made to the Fairview Church of God in Christ Mennonite with the funeral home acting as custodian of the funds.