Dick and Mary Koehler had been married for 3 years when Dick got a call. “You got the job!” It was 1961 and they were thrilled that Dick had landed the position as the English and Latin teacher at Badger High School. They packed up and moved to Lake Geneva from western Wisconsin, where Dick taught at Badger for the next 32 years before retiring. Mary worked as a nurse and they watched their 2 children grow. St. Francis de Sales Parish became a part of their lives when they moved to this community, and they have always been dependable volunteers. Dick served as a lector and acolyte, Mary as an EMOC and Catholic Daughter (Mary has been a member of CDA for 50 years!) Dick taught religious education at SFDS and was a consultant on the school board for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. They were both on the fundraising committee to build the parish center. Currently they bring communion to nursing homes together.
For the past 22 years they have organized and run the Card Marathon, an opportunity for people to get together and play bridge and 500. They take turns hosting in each other’s homes, and there are 9 flights. Sponsored by the Catholic Daughters of America, it raises funds to be able to give a $1000 scholarship to a Badger High School student every year. “Bridge is our passion. This gives people a chance to have a group to play cards with that they might not be able to get together on their own,” said Mary.
Thank you, Mary and Dick, for sharing your passion, your faith, and your talents over the years and for making St.
Francis de Sales “your spiritual home”! You are very much appreciated!