Adam Henry “Hank” Pohlman II, son of Adam Frederick, Sr. and Irene Gladys (Kaiser) Pohlman, was born January 23, 1930 at Hays, Kansas. His death occurred Friday, March 5, 2010 at Russell Regional Hospital.
Henry, or Hank as his family and friends know him, lived his early life in the Natoma, Kansas community where he attended school, graduating from Natoma High School with the Class of 1947. As a young man he was active in the family business, Pohlman Home Furnishing Company and Pohlman Funeral Service.
Henry attended Fort Hays Kansas State College from Sept. 1947 to Dec. 1950. He was a member of Kappa Signa Kappa. In December of 1950 during his Senior Year he was called for military service and joined the US Navy. He served his boot camp and was assigned to the Hospital Corp School at San Diego, California. In November of 1952 he was transferred to the Hospital Ship USS Consolation AH-15, serving in Korea. For the next 21 months he served aboard this ship with duty in Pusan, Chin Hae and Inchon, Korea. On return of the ship to Long Beach, California he was discharged from the US Navy on August 24, 1954 with the rating of HM2. At this time he returned to his hometown of Natoma, Kansas.
He immediately enrolled in the St. Louis college of Mortuary Science, where with his combined classes at Fort Hays he completed his studies and his degree in Mortuary Science with distinguished honors. He returned to Natoma to begin his apprenticeship with his father and received his licenses in the family business.
On April 19, 1959, Henry was united in marriage to Majorie Lee Dumler at Russell, Kansas. To this union was born two children, Barbara Ann and Harold Lee. The family made their home in Natoma until the decision was made to close the Home Furnishing portion of the Family Business. During the closing process Henry and Marge made an offer to purchase the Russell Mortuary, Russell, Kansas from D.J. Helm and his wife Josephine. They took over this business on January 1, 1966, and moved to Russell to make their home at that time.
Henry continued to assist his father with the funeral home operation in Natoma until 1975 when he purchased the Natoma funeral Home from his father. For nearly forty years Henry and Marge owned and operated the family business together. During these years Henry was very involved in Monument sales and installation, which was always an integral part of the Funeral Business operation both at Natoma and Russell.
Henry was very active in the community, a member of St. John Lutheran Church and served 9 years on the church council, member and past president of Russell Rotary Club, Past president of the Russell Chamber of Commerce, and served as a division chairman of the Prairiesta celebration in 1971, 81 and 91. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Eastern Star of Russell, Consistory and ISIS Shrine of Salina, Kansas and member of the 100 million dollar club, supporter of the Kansas Shrine Bowl for over 25 years, York Rite Bodies of Hays, member and Past President of the Russell Shrine Club and served as editor of the Club FEZ for a number of years as well as the Onion Sales Chairman for several years. He was a life member of both the Russell VFW Post # 6240 and American Legion Post #99, member of the Russell Elks Lodge a life member of the Russell County Historical Society and served on the board for about 25 years. For about 17 years he served on the local Red Cross Board and was Chairperson for a number of years before the local chapter was absorbed by the Golden Belt Chapter of Great Bend. He was a founding Donor and Director for the Russell County Area Community Foundation. In 2006, Henry was recognized by the Kansas Funeral Directors and Embalmers Association for 50 years of Service to the Funeral Industry. He was very much a part of getting the Russell County Veterans Memorial funded and installed. In January, 2010, Henry received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Russell Area Chamber of Commerce for his dedicated service to the Russell community.
Survivors are his wife Marjorie of the home in Russell; daughter, Barbara Ann Krug and husband Bradley of Russell; son, Harold Lee Pohlman of Russell; grandchildren, Christina Kerns of Brooklyn, New York, Brett Pohlman and Heather Pohlman both of Russell; step grandchildren, Lindsey and Timothy Krug both of Russell; brother, George Pohlman and wife Margaret of North Tustin, California; sister-in-law, Carol Pohlman of Kansas City, Missouri; a number of other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, older brother Fred Pohlman, Jr. and daughter-in-law Londa Pohlman.
Celebration of Henry’s Life will be held at 10:30 A.M. Thursday, March 11, 2010 at St. John Lutheran Church of Russell with Pastor Roger Dennis and Rev. Earl Haggard officiating. Interment will follow at Russell City Cemetery with the Russell V.F.W. Honor Guard performing military Rites. Visitation will be from Noon on Tuesday, March 9, to 5 PM and all day Wednesday. The family will be present to greet friends from 5 PM to 7 PM at the Mortuary in Russell with a Prayer Service following. Contributions may be made to St. John Lutheran Church or the Pohlman Family Scholarship with R.C.A.C.F. Contributions and condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell. Condolences may also be sent via email by going to
http://www.pvpmortuary.com/.
This woodcarving is a donation to the Smoky Hills Public Television, Bunker Hill, KS, for their annual fundraising auction.
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