Jerome "Jerry" Wohler

Jerome "Jerry" LeRoy Wohler, age 94, passed away peacefully at home as he wanted, on January 6, 2026 in Garnett, Kansas.

Jerry was born in Barnes, Kansas November 23, 1931. He was the youngest of ten children, three died at birth. Parents were Alvin Wohler (1888-1978) and Christena Wichman Wohler (1889-1977) proceed him in death, as did siblings Wilma Wohler-Jackson, Orville Wohler, Fern Wohler-Stigge, Leona Wohler-Burks, Betty Wohler-Koch, and wife Janice "Jan" (Fisher) Wohler. Surviving family includes sister Ila Wohler-Logan, son Jon (Renee) Wohler, daughter Jean Wohler, granddaughters Janice Ruth Wohler, Rachel (Joseph) Wohler, Nicole Coop, and great-grandsons Jonathon Wohler, Athan Overstreet, Alex Overstreet, and Ashton Overstreet.

Jerry attended a one room schoolhouse in Bodaville, Kansas. He disliked riding his horse Sparky to school as he, Betty, and Ila all rode Sparky who would stand in the hot sun all day until school let out, so the kids would walk to school. Jerry graduated in 1948 from Barnes High School where he lettered each year in football, basketball, baseball, and track. In his senior year of high school, he and a friend bought a new Massey Ferguson SP Combine and made a wheat harvest run from Texas to South Dakota. Jerry purchased 160 acres of farmland in Wessington Springs, South Dakota to grow oats, believing the farmland would exempt him from the miliary draft. That did not work. Jerry was drafted into the United States Army in 1952 and completed basic training at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas with specialized training on 155mm Howitzer. Assigned to Artillery and shipped out to Korea. While deployed, Jerry met up with high school friend Bob Trulicka in Japan. At the end of the Korean War, Staff Sergeant Wohler returned to Barnes, Kansas for a couple of weeks. He bought a 1952 Chrysler and headed to Topeka to look for work. He applied to Goodyear Tire & Rubber and was hired on the spot to start the next day.

He then met Jan Fisher. The two were inseparable and married in 1955. Jerry applied to Kansas Highway Patrol and was accepted in 1956. He attended the Kansas Highway Patrol Academy held at Kansas University in Lawrence, Kansas. After graduating, he was one of eight State Troopers assigned to Augusta, Butler County, Kansas. There were no speed limits on newly opened Kansas Turnpike. In his first year, he worked thirty-two fatality accidents. While stationed in Augusta, Jan and Jerry welcomed their two children into the world, Jon then Jeanna. The Wohler family transferred to Garnett, Kansas in 1964 as the only Trooper in Anderson County. A slower pace. Jerry attained a private pilot license. He then opened Garnett Lumber with brother-in-law Marvin Koch, where Jan was the secretary for the business. They built the Wohler Addition subdivision on Hayes Street. In 1974 Jerry applied and was accepted into the Governor's Security through the Highway Patrol serving Kansas Governors Docking, Bennett, and Carlin. Protection entailed all governor events and First families. He enjoyed traveling to Washington, D.C. where he met Gerald Ford, participated in campaign trails, and even fishing trips in Canada. Retiring from KHP in 1983 at the young age of 51, he started a private shuttle service to the Kansas City International airport, driving clients to the airport in their car and returning to bring them home. In 1986 he went to work for the newly opened Kansas Expocentre as Director of Security overseeing building security, Sheriff Reserve Deputies, parking, ticket takers, and ushers.

In 1993 Jerry retired again and returned to Garnett with Jan. They bought farmland and built first of four homes with land, moving after five years at each homestead. Jerry served ten years as supervisor on Anderson County Conservation Department, worked for Feuerborn Funeral Home, served on SEKS multi-county health board, he was a member of the Lions Club, Homeland Security investigator for Police Department and Fire Department, future Kansas Highway Patrol Candidates, and a lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, and Kansas State Trooper Association.

In lieu of flowers, monetary donations for the research of Lewy Body Dementia can be made to the care of Feuerborn Funeral Home.