DWIGHT, Ill. — Mr. Elmer Kohrt, 87, of Dwight, Ill., died at 12:45 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8, 2010, at his residence.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 pm Wednesday, Aug. 11, at Hager Memorial Home in Dwight.
Funeral services will follow at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Dwight, with the Rev. Daniel Ognoskie officiating. Burial will be at Oaklawn Cemetery in Dwight, with Dwight American Legion Post 486 and Dwight VFW Post 2608 conducting full military rites.
Mr. Kohrt was born July 1, 1923, in Kinsman, Ill., to John and Lena (Baker) Kohrt of Kinsman. They moved to north of Dwight when Mr. Kohrt was 3 years old.
Elmer graduated from Dwight Township High School in 1941. In 1944, he married Gladys Gassman, who preceded him in death in 2001.
A farmer from1947 to the present, he was also a rural mail carrier for 33 years.
Mr. Kohrt was a Life Member of Dwight VFW Post 2608 and a Director of the Livingston County Farm Bureau. He served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1946 as First Sergeant in Germany and France. He received the Bronze Star and Combat Infantry Badges.
On June 17, 2009, accompanied by Karl Kohrt, he participated in the Honor Flight from Chicago to the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., where he was met by Brent Smith.
Elmer is survived by his wife of 8 years, Marvella; four children, Karen (Russ) Ringl of California, Peggy (Bruce) Smith of Florida, Mark (Dawn) Kohrt of Blackstone, Ill., and Karl (Pam) Kohrt of Dwight; grandchildren Tom (Crystal) Ringl of California (and their children Taylor and Sky), Pete Kohrt of Joliet, Ill., Jonathan Kohrt of Carbondale, Ill., Megan Kohrt of Aurora, Ill., Jordan Kohrt, Brent (Lisa) Smith of Maryland (and their children Ben Smith and Will Higgins); one step-grandson; two great grandchildren; two great-step grandsons; and a sister, Marge Fisher of Washington.
Preceding Mr. Kohrt in death were his parents; one granddaughter, Jessica Kohrt, in 1999, at the age of 12; and his sister, Marie Reeb.
Donations may be made to the Gladys Kohrt Memorial Fund at the Livingston Public County Health Department, P.O. Box 650, Pontiac, Ill., 61764, or an organization of the donor's choice.
Condolences may be extended online to the family at www.hagermemorialhome.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Hager Memorial Home, 201 W. Mazon Ave., Dwight, Ill. For additional information, call the funeral home at (815) 584-2666.