Royden Ramon Kohler

Royden Ramon Kohler was born a very young boy in his parent’s home in Midway, Utah on the 24th of July, 1931. Growing up, he never had a regular birthday, but he did enjoy having all of Utah celebrate his special day. Enjoying a root beer float was one of his favorite birthday traditions. Always active, Ramon (as he was always called) enjoyed playing marbles, roller skating, playing softball and baseball among the cow pies, playing basketball in the town hall, building balsa wood airplanes, and swimming in the hot pots near the Homestead in Midway in his youth. And while “screen-time” wasn’t a lure of his youth, Ramon did learn to develop film at a young age. Ramon milked cows on the family farm and played saxophone in a band. He enjoyed singing his whole life and at one time sang in the BYU Acapella Choir. He toured with the Delta Phi Chorus. He often sang in choirs, musical group, and at home. In adulthood, he painted oil paintings, played racquetball, pickleball, tennis, softball and baseball. He loved to be active his whole life. He lived in the same house in Midway until he went on his LDS mission from 1950 to 1952 in the Western States Mission, headquartered in Denver, Colorado. He served in Laramie, WY; Albuquerque, Alamogordo, and Truth or Consequences, NM. Before he had been home from the mission for a month, he received a draft notice. He was inducted in February of 1953 and spent 16 weeks in basic training in Ft. Ord, California. As this was during the Korean War, it seemed he would be assigned to Korea. Ramon and two Wasatch County boys discovered a Leadership Training Course to be offered at the same time they got out of basic. They signed up immediately and were accepted for the 8-week program. By the time the Leadership school ended, the Korean War had ended. Ramon was sent to Alaska and remained there until his two years were completed. If an enemy should cross the Bering Straits, the Army was to defend Alaska for 72 hours. Of course this had to be in the wintertime since the tundra would not support heavy Army-type equipment except when frozen solid in winter months. It was at this time he refined his skiing, using “Mickey Mouse” boots and army gear. Upon discharge, it was back to Brigham Young University where Ramon had started college following his high school graduation in 1949. He met a young lady, “Sally” while working for his uncle in Idaho Falls, Idaho and they decided marriage was the next step and were married in the Idaho Falls Temple on August 24, 1956. While at BYU, he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree and worked for the Montana Elks on a Mobile Speech and Hearing Unit, traveling each month to several of the larger cities in Montana to work with handicapped children. Ramon went back to BYU to work on a Master’s Degree and later took a two-year position for the Idaho Falls School District teaching a six/seven grade split in a school in New Sweden and then worked in a different Idaho Falls third grade. The day that school year ended, Sally and Ramon had packed up the car and drove to California to job hunt/interview. He ended up in the Daggett, Hinckley and Newberry School District in California. He also taught 6th grade at Fort Irwin. After completing his PhD at the University of Utah, Ramon eventually accepted a position as the Head of the Speech Pathology and Audiology Department at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. He held this position for over 13 years. Upon moving to St. George, Ramon got a job at the Arizona Port of Entry and attended the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy (ALETA). Later, he worked at the Arizona State Hospital in Phoenix as the Head of Speech and Hearing for 5 years. Ramon and Sally fulfilled 5 missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, serving in St. George, UT as member locators; in Washington DC (twice – once serving in the office and once in the temple there); in Russia, as welfare/humanitarian missionaries; and in Fiji on an ITEP (International Teacher Education Program) mission, helping to educate teachers. Both Ramon and Sally made the world a better place everywhere they went, helping people, baking breads, planting flowers and veggies and cleaning up their surroundings. Together they had 8 children and raised 7 to adulthood and were blessed with 27 grandchildren and 47 great grandchildren. Ramon is survived by his wife, Sally, and 7 children: Jan (+Rob) Oliver, Brad (+Robin) Kohler, Cathie (+Jeff) Hurst, Steve (+Kel) Kohler, Amy (+Shawn) Swaner, Lisa (+Kip) Bowler and Rob (+Rebecca) Kohler. Funeral services will be held 12:00 p.m. Monday, August 18, 2025, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 12th Ward 550 East 700 South St. George, UT. A viewing for friends and family from 10:00 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. Graveside services will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at the Midway Cemetery 600 W 500 S, Midway, UT. Zoom link: https://youtube.com/@700south9?feature=shared Services are under the direction of Serenity Funeral Home of Southern Utah. In Lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice.

Royden Ramon Kohler

July 24, 1931 - August 13, 2025