Edward R. Kahler was born February 1, 1926 to Jake and Mollie (Neuharth) Kahler on a farm south of Burke, SD. After grade school, he attended Burke High School.
On June 11, 1939 Ed was confirmed at the Carlock Lutheran Church. His sister and his future wife Louise were in his confirmation class.
In 1944 Ed joined the Army and was sent to the Philippine Islands. He was with the 31st Infantry Division in the mountains of Mindanoa as a First Scout. Ed received the Combat Infantry Badge, the Bronze Star, Philippine Liberation ribbon, and other ribbons. He also served on the islands of Leyte and Guam. Ed was honorably discharged on November 4, 1946 having attained the rank of Sergeant.
On June 29, 1947 Ed was married to Louise Lindwurm and in September of 1947 they moved to Winner. Ed and Louise had three children—Ronald, Roxine, and Cheryl. Ed managed the meat market at the Crossroads grocery store and became involved with a corporation to expand into grocery stores. The first store for the corporation was the Outlaw in Winner. The corporation had grown to eight grocery stores when in 1968 Ed decided to buy Coast to Coast Hardware in Gregory. So he sold his portion in the grocery stores. Louise and the children also worked with Ed at the hardware store. In 1979 he bought the Coast to Coast store in Wagner in which his son Ron and wife Linda managed and co-owned the store.
Ed served on the Gregory Hospital board for 21 years.
Ed and Louise retired on January 31, 1988. The children continued to run the Coast to Coast stores for a few years.
After retiring Ed went back to hobbies he had as a teenager—woodworking and fishing. He took a short course in stained glass and enjoyed that for many years. Ed designed, built, and installed the stained glass windows in the Grace Lutheran Church.
In February of 1988 Ed and Louise started going south to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas for the winters. They both enjoyed living in the Valley. In the summer they enjoyed fishing and camping on the Missouri River.
Ed passed away June 11, 2015 at Avera Gregory Hospital at the age of 89.
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