Diane Kay Kohler

Diane (Hogenson) Kohler, born February 12, 1948, was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend who passed away surrounded by family. Diane was born to Helen and Selmer Hogenson and grew up in Lake Park MN, where she graduated from Lake Park High School, Class of 1966. She was the sister of Ron Hogenson, Curt Hogenson and Carol (Jack) Kronbeck, and maintained family ties throughout her life.

In 1969, Diane married Jerry Kohler and began a life marked by partnership, adventure, and deep devotion to family. Together, they lived in Seattle before eventually settling in Anchorage, AK - a place they fell in love with and called home for more than three decades. Diane worked for Wien Air Alaska, Arco, Alyeska Ski Resort and the Alaska Railroad; all of these gave her great joy as she built connections with others. Her thrill-seeking spirit led her to a love of skydiving, fishing, golfing, and riding motorcycles. Diane had a gift for meeting people and making connections wherever she went, whether chatting with travelers while working for the Alaska Railroad or striking up conversations abroad. She loved traveling, talking with people, and embracing the stories that linked one life to another.

Diane and Jerry raised two sons, Jason and Justin, in Alaska’s close-knit community of Girdwood. She was immensely proud of the lives her sons built; Jason in Anchorage with his wife Camille and their daughters Madison and Kinley, Justin in Los Angeles with his wife Ruweida. After 31 years in Alaska, Diane and Jerry moved to Sun City, Arizona, where they enjoyed warm weather, new friendships, and summers spent in Minnesota closer to family.

Diane will be remembered for her kindness, her genuine interest in others, her adventurous spirit, and the joy she found in family, community, and the simple beauty of everyday connections. Her legacy lives on in those she loved and the countless people whose lives she touched along the way.

To honor Diane a memorial service will be held on January 9, 2026 at American Lutheran Church in Sun City, AZ at 11.00 am. 

She will be deeply missed.