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Mary Koehler likes living near the river
Mary Koehler has lived in rural Montrose for 38 years since marrying husband John in 1970. Their house is located along the Mississippi River.
“When the children were young our family spent every Saturday and Sunday on the river at the sandbar playing volleyball or simply enjoying the summer sun,” Koehler said. “Each weekend seemed like a mini vacation being able to relax and enjoy the river.”
As a child, Koehler grew up in the country on a farm halfway between St. Paul and West Point.
“Growing up I had lots of siblings, four brothers and four sisters,” she said. “We played lots of softball games and often neighbors came over to join in the fun.”
Koehler worked for the Lee County Treasurer's Office for 32 years. She is working for Mae Conn as a bookkeeper for several of her stores and also helps with the UPS part of the business.
What food are you most famous for? Apple cinnamon muffins.
What kind of music do you enjoy? The Oldies.
What are your hobbies? Boating, scrapbooking, quilting and reading.
Do you have a favorite pet (present or past)? Miller is our golden lab who has lived with us for 10 years.
Where would you go if you won a trip anywhere in the world and why? I would love to see Australia. I hear it is very beautiful.
What has been life's most rewarding experience for you? Becoming a grandmother has filled my life with so much joy.
How many children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren do you have? I have two children and five grandchildren who are most precious to me. Grandchildren are so much fun. My son, Ed, and his wife, Jessica, have two boys; Ethan is 6 and Aidan is 3. My daughter has three girls; Mary Kate is 9 and her twin sisters, Abby and Allison, are 7.
What book are you currently reading? “My Sister's Keeper” by Jodi Picoult.
What is your least favorite food? Liver.
What is your favorite food? Pizza.
What makes a perfect summer day and how would you spend it if you could, anyway you wanted? Spending time relaxing on the river in our pontoon with all my family.
Favorite childhood, teen and adult book? Most recently I have enjoyed Debbie Macomber's series written about Blossom Street - “The Shop on Blossom Street,” “A Good Yarn” and “Back on Blossom Street”. I am looking forward to reading her latest, “Twenty Wishes”.
Most memorable moment? I am looking forward to the day I can finally retire and simply do whatever I want. Unfortunately, it is a few years away.
What do you do for fun? Play with my grandchildren, go boating on the river, have lunch or a movie with my girlfriends, read and do Sudoku puzzles.
What do you like most about yourself? I have the gift of having lots of patience that was passed down from my mother. I also tend to greet everyone with a smile whether I know them or not. And it make me feel good if that person smiles back.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? As a child I always wanted to be a teacher in the religious sector. Looking back I am so glad that I did not because I never would have become a wife, mother and grandmother. These three things are very important in my life.
Where would you live if you had a choice? I love living along the Mississippi River in the spring, summer and fall. But I would like to find a warmer climate for the winter months, maybe Florida or Arizona.
What is your favorite TV show and actor/actress? Movies with Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Meg Ryan, Diane Keaton and Shirley MacLaine.
If you could have dinner with any three people (living or dead) who would they be? I have two really great friends, Vicki and Jeanne. But between work, family and just plain life, we don't seem to have as much time for get-togethers as we would like.
What was your favorite subject in school? Math.
What was your first job? I worked for the Sheaffer Pen Company in Fort Madison the summer after high school graduation.
What was/is your favorite style/piece of clothing? Jeans and sweatshirts.
Best word(s) of advice you've received? “Treat others the way you want to be treated” from my mother.
Favorite movie of all time? “The Notebook” from the book written by Nicholas Sparks.
What is your favorite ethnic food? Italian and Mexican.
How did you meet your spouse (if married)? I met my husband at the “Mt. Hamill Tap” near Houghton. That was the local hangout for everyone on Friday or Saturday nights.
If you had a motto, what would it be? Live for today, for life is short.
What is your most memorable and/or embarrassing food experience? My most embarrassing was during a family holiday dinner, I had baked a broccoli cheese casserole in a glass dish and set it on a hot burner on top of my stove and of course it completely shattered.
What is your favorite recipe? Mary's apple bread.
People who would like to be included in an upcoming Accent Page feature should contact the paper by mail at the Daily Gate City, P.O. Box 430, Keokuk, IA 52632; by phone at 524-8300, ext. 106, or by fax at 524-4363.
Candidates are asked to complete a short questionnaire with their favorite recipe and have their picture taken to accompany the article.
Mary's apple bread
Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cup finely chopped apples
Directions:
Cream together oil, sugar and eggs. Sift together flour, salt, soda and cinnamon. Add to creamed mixture. Add vanilla, nuts and chopped apples.
Pour into a greased loaf pan or muffin tin. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
For muffins: Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
“When the children were young our family spent every Saturday and Sunday on the river at the sandbar playing volleyball or simply enjoying the summer sun,” Koehler said. “Each weekend seemed like a mini vacation being able to relax and enjoy the river.”
As a child, Koehler grew up in the country on a farm halfway between St. Paul and West Point.
“Growing up I had lots of siblings, four brothers and four sisters,” she said. “We played lots of softball games and often neighbors came over to join in the fun.”
Koehler worked for the Lee County Treasurer's Office for 32 years. She is working for Mae Conn as a bookkeeper for several of her stores and also helps with the UPS part of the business.
What food are you most famous for? Apple cinnamon muffins.
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What are your hobbies? Boating, scrapbooking, quilting and reading.
Do you have a favorite pet (present or past)? Miller is our golden lab who has lived with us for 10 years.
Where would you go if you won a trip anywhere in the world and why? I would love to see Australia. I hear it is very beautiful.
What has been life's most rewarding experience for you? Becoming a grandmother has filled my life with so much joy.
How many children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren do you have? I have two children and five grandchildren who are most precious to me. Grandchildren are so much fun. My son, Ed, and his wife, Jessica, have two boys; Ethan is 6 and Aidan is 3. My daughter has three girls; Mary Kate is 9 and her twin sisters, Abby and Allison, are 7.
What book are you currently reading? “My Sister's Keeper” by Jodi Picoult.
What is your least favorite food? Liver.
What is your favorite food? Pizza.
What makes a perfect summer day and how would you spend it if you could, anyway you wanted? Spending time relaxing on the river in our pontoon with all my family.
Favorite childhood, teen and adult book? Most recently I have enjoyed Debbie Macomber's series written about Blossom Street - “The Shop on Blossom Street,” “A Good Yarn” and “Back on Blossom Street”. I am looking forward to reading her latest, “Twenty Wishes”.
Most memorable moment? I am looking forward to the day I can finally retire and simply do whatever I want. Unfortunately, it is a few years away.
What do you do for fun? Play with my grandchildren, go boating on the river, have lunch or a movie with my girlfriends, read and do Sudoku puzzles.
What do you like most about yourself? I have the gift of having lots of patience that was passed down from my mother. I also tend to greet everyone with a smile whether I know them or not. And it make me feel good if that person smiles back.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? As a child I always wanted to be a teacher in the religious sector. Looking back I am so glad that I did not because I never would have become a wife, mother and grandmother. These three things are very important in my life.
Where would you live if you had a choice? I love living along the Mississippi River in the spring, summer and fall. But I would like to find a warmer climate for the winter months, maybe Florida or Arizona.
What is your favorite TV show and actor/actress? Movies with Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Meg Ryan, Diane Keaton and Shirley MacLaine.
If you could have dinner with any three people (living or dead) who would they be? I have two really great friends, Vicki and Jeanne. But between work, family and just plain life, we don't seem to have as much time for get-togethers as we would like.
What was your favorite subject in school? Math.
What was your first job? I worked for the Sheaffer Pen Company in Fort Madison the summer after high school graduation.
What was/is your favorite style/piece of clothing? Jeans and sweatshirts.
Best word(s) of advice you've received? “Treat others the way you want to be treated” from my mother.
Favorite movie of all time? “The Notebook” from the book written by Nicholas Sparks.
What is your favorite ethnic food? Italian and Mexican.
How did you meet your spouse (if married)? I met my husband at the “Mt. Hamill Tap” near Houghton. That was the local hangout for everyone on Friday or Saturday nights.
If you had a motto, what would it be? Live for today, for life is short.
What is your most memorable and/or embarrassing food experience? My most embarrassing was during a family holiday dinner, I had baked a broccoli cheese casserole in a glass dish and set it on a hot burner on top of my stove and of course it completely shattered.
What is your favorite recipe? Mary's apple bread.
People who would like to be included in an upcoming Accent Page feature should contact the paper by mail at the Daily Gate City, P.O. Box 430, Keokuk, IA 52632; by phone at 524-8300, ext. 106, or by fax at 524-4363.
Candidates are asked to complete a short questionnaire with their favorite recipe and have their picture taken to accompany the article.
Mary's apple bread
Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cup finely chopped apples
Directions:
Cream together oil, sugar and eggs. Sift together flour, salt, soda and cinnamon. Add to creamed mixture. Add vanilla, nuts and chopped apples.
Pour into a greased loaf pan or muffin tin. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
For muffins: Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
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