DECEMBER 19, 1934 – NOVEMBER 30, 2023
Hans passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife Christina, son Jeff, and close friend Russ on November 30, 2023. Born in Stolberg, Germany to the late Herman Koehl and Maria Altdorf Koehl, Hans immigrated with his mother, father and two sisters, Gerda and Emmy, to the United States in 1948 and settled in Woodstock, CT.
Shortly after starting school in the US, Hans quickly mastered the English language and skipped ahead two grades within his first year at The Woodstock Academy. After graduating from Killingly High School in Dayville, CT, Hans went on to earn his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering with distinction from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in 1956, and his Juris Doctorate from Stanford University in 1958. While at WPI, Hans was a member of the men’s soccer team, and he participated in Masque (student led dramatic theater organization), the Peddler (yearbook for the graduating class) and the Debating Club. He was also a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity where he served as President his senior year.