Obituary for Edwin George "Ed" Poehl
Edwin George Poehl, age 96, of Waco went to be with the Lord on Saturday, March 7,
2020, at St. Catherine’s Center. As a part of the fast diminishing Greatest Generation,
he loved the Lord, his family and served the community, and with great pride, the U.S.
Navy during WWII.
Born February 22, 1924 in Caldwell, Texas to Gus and Helen Poehl, Ed lived in the rural
community of Deanville until he graduated from Caldwell High School in 1941. When his
nation needed him, Ed enlisted in the U.S. Navy on October 6, 1942. After graduating
from torpedo school in San Diego, he was assigned to the USS Skipjack, SS184 at
Pearl Harbor in July 1943. He was honorably discharged on October 4, 1945 in New
London, Connecticut as a Torpedoman First Class.
Ed met Clara Kocurek while attending high school. They married on July 9, 1945. The
couple moved to Houston in 1946 where Ed went into the car business. In 1952 Ed,
Clara and family moved to Waco. Shortly after, Ed opened Lone Star Motors on Franklin
Avenue, the week the tornado of 1953 hit. Ed and son, Keith, opened Cen-Tex Motor
Company in 1982, also on Franklin Ave. After 60 years in the automobile business, Ed
retired in 2007.
Ed and Clara would often share their memories and happy times about fishing on Lake
Somerville, and camping and fishing at Stone Cellar in Colorado. They shared their love
of the Lord as life long Lutherans and as members of St Matthew Lutheran Church.
After 72 years of marriage, Clara passed away in December 2017 while living at St
Catherine’s Center. Ed lived his remaining years at St Catherine’s Center.
Services will be held at 1pm, at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 800 N. New Road,
Monday, March 16, with Rev. Kelsey Fitting-Snyder officiating. Burial will follow at
Oakwood Cemetery. Family will greet visitors from 11:30 to 12:30 and a luncheon will be
served.
Ed was preceded in death by his parents and his daughter, Terri Poehl Leskoven.
He is survived by his daughter, Barbara Johnson and husband, Rodger; son, Keith
Poehl and wife, Dinka; son-in-law, Les Leskoven and wife, Karen; eight grandchildren
and 16 great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to St. Matthew Lutheran Church or the
charity of your choice.
Serving as pallbearers are: Scott Miller, Brad Miller, Nick Poehl, Andrew Leskoven, Clay Hicks, and Lance Yager.
2020, at St. Catherine’s Center. As a part of the fast diminishing Greatest Generation,
he loved the Lord, his family and served the community, and with great pride, the U.S.
Navy during WWII.
Born February 22, 1924 in Caldwell, Texas to Gus and Helen Poehl, Ed lived in the rural
community of Deanville until he graduated from Caldwell High School in 1941. When his
nation needed him, Ed enlisted in the U.S. Navy on October 6, 1942. After graduating
from torpedo school in San Diego, he was assigned to the USS Skipjack, SS184 at
Pearl Harbor in July 1943. He was honorably discharged on October 4, 1945 in New
London, Connecticut as a Torpedoman First Class.
Ed met Clara Kocurek while attending high school. They married on July 9, 1945. The
couple moved to Houston in 1946 where Ed went into the car business. In 1952 Ed,
Clara and family moved to Waco. Shortly after, Ed opened Lone Star Motors on Franklin
Avenue, the week the tornado of 1953 hit. Ed and son, Keith, opened Cen-Tex Motor
Company in 1982, also on Franklin Ave. After 60 years in the automobile business, Ed
retired in 2007.
Ed and Clara would often share their memories and happy times about fishing on Lake
Somerville, and camping and fishing at Stone Cellar in Colorado. They shared their love
of the Lord as life long Lutherans and as members of St Matthew Lutheran Church.
After 72 years of marriage, Clara passed away in December 2017 while living at St
Catherine’s Center. Ed lived his remaining years at St Catherine’s Center.
Services will be held at 1pm, at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 800 N. New Road,
Monday, March 16, with Rev. Kelsey Fitting-Snyder officiating. Burial will follow at
Oakwood Cemetery. Family will greet visitors from 11:30 to 12:30 and a luncheon will be
served.
Ed was preceded in death by his parents and his daughter, Terri Poehl Leskoven.
He is survived by his daughter, Barbara Johnson and husband, Rodger; son, Keith
Poehl and wife, Dinka; son-in-law, Les Leskoven and wife, Karen; eight grandchildren
and 16 great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to St. Matthew Lutheran Church or the
charity of your choice.
Serving as pallbearers are: Scott Miller, Brad Miller, Nick Poehl, Andrew Leskoven, Clay Hicks, and Lance Yager.