Philip Vernon Kohlhaas

Philip Vernon Kohlhaas, adoring husband and father, was called to Heaven at 10:48 a.m. on July 4, 2016 when his heart stopped at age 82. His kindness, humor, generosity, personality, and appreciation for others will be greatly missed.

The youngest of 6 children, Phil was born in "that great big, busy town" of Algona, Iowa on May 25, 1934 to Philip John and Adelaide (Harig) Kohlhaas. He was a shooting guard on the basketball team at St. Cecelia's Academy in Algona, graduating in 1952 with 27 in his class. He attended St. Thomas College in St. Paul, MN and transferred to the University of Iowa, graduating with a degree in Speech in 1956. His focus was Radio & Television Directing, with a desire to go to Hollywood and direct movies. He was a proud member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. Perge!

Phil joined the Army in October of 1956, and was stationed in Stuttgart, Germany with the Counter Intelligence Corp. During his off-hours, he explored his entrepreneurial spirit, selling Rosenthal China to friends in the Army. While in Europe, he took every opportunity to travel and create as many adventures as possible.

With a secret dream of meeting Ernest Hemingway, he followed one of his favorite books - The Sun Also Rises - to Pamplona, Spain where he ran with the bulls at the Festival of San Fermin. Afterwards, he had a cold beverage in the plaza in Pamplona where a woman named Mary invited him to join her party at their table. Phil was thrilled to sit down next to Ernest and Mary Hemingway and their friends, enjoying a drink and conversation. Before leaving Europe, Phil put 95,000 miles on a new 1956 Volkswagen and upon returning to the U.S. of A. in 1959, sold it for the same amount he paid for it.

After serving his country, Phil joined 3M Company as a sales representative in Philadelphia and had subsequent sales territories in Washington, DC and Richmond, VA. Phil met his wonderful and beloved wife, Ruthie Redmond, in Arlington on a blind date, and two hours after meeting her, declared that he was going to marry her. Six months later they married, on February 1, 1964, and had their first child, Kimberly, exactly 9 months after their wedding day.

After living in Richmond, VA for two years, Phil was promoted to Marketing with the Industrial Tape Division at 3M Company in St. Paul, MN. He enjoyed developing new businesses and was promoted to the New Business Development Division in the Nuclear Products Department that eventually became the Static Control Systems Division. Phil continued to earn promotions to Sales and Marketing Manager and then to Marketing Director. Phil led the pioneering effort to relocate the first division of 3M to Austin, Texas in 1984 and was promoted to Division General Manager in 1986. He retired in October of 1994.

Throughout his career, he was known as a dynamic and engaging speaker, a visionary marketer, a man of integrity, and was well respected by both colleagues and competitors. Phil received 3M's Quality Individual Achievement Award in 1984 and the Electrostatic Discharge Association's Industry Pioneer Award in 2004, ten years after he retired.

An active contributor in the Austin community, Phil was recently bestowed the honor of Director Emeritus of the Austin Symphony Orchestra, applauding his 29 years of service on the Board of Directors, 7 of those years as Vice President of Marketing. A friend of Charles Umlauf and family, he served as President and Chairman of the Board for the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, helping to grow the organization and increase its stature as an Austin landmark. He served as President of the Texas Association of Museums, and was on the Board of the Austin Lyric Opera, the Texas Natural Science Advisory Board and many more. Phil was the first man to receive the "Women on Their Toes" award from The Ballet Austin Guild in 2004 for Outstanding Contribution in Austin Non-Profit Organizations. Unafraid to challenge the status quo, his volunteerism dramatically boosted the visibility and reach of these organizations through his creative marketing and outreach solutions.

Phil especially loved volunteering with his good friend, Alan Graham, in the formative years of Mobile Loaves and Fishes, a group that feeds, listens to and honors homeless men and women in Austin. Phil was proud of Alan's vision and effort to provide not only nourishment, but recently housing and dignity through the new Community First! Village development. Phil and Ruth donated 2 homes to the Community First! Village before Ruth died in December 2015.

He and Ruth were a vibrant, vivacious couple, adored by many. They loved telling the tale of how they met. A suspenseful storyteller, Phil knew just when to pause and when to lean forward; he could easily draw a room in and hold them captive with his wonderful sense of humor and great timing.

Phil did everything in his power to contribute to his wife, his daughters, his community, his friends, his church and his work. He was a loyal and loving man who felt compassion for others and acted on his beliefs. He lived his profound commitment to fairness and ethics.

He is preceded in death (only 7 months prior) by his beloved wife, Ruthie, his parents, his brothers, Vernon Kohlhaas, Robert Kohlhaas, Dean Kohlhaas, and his sisters, Anita Livedalen and Betty Brand.

Phil is survived by three daughters, Kimberly Ruth Kohlhaas in Austin, TX; Karla Anne Curran, her husband, Dr. Edward Curran III, and their children, Gabriel, Grace Caroline and Lily Hope in Columbus, GA; and Karrie Virginia Kohlhaas and her partner Winton Todd Martin and their son, Oliver Dezmond Kohlhaas Martin, in Seattle, WA. He is also survived by a cadre of loving nieces and nephews, Maxine Kohlhaas (his sister-in-law) and his dear cousin, Joan (Hoffman) DeCrane who was like a sister to Phil his entire life.

A celebration of Phil Kohlhaas' life will be held on July 30 at 11:00 am at Emmaus Catholic Church, 1718 Lohmans Crossing Rd, Lakeway, Texas 78734.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Austin Symphony, Community First! Village and The Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum.

Please visit the online memorial for Phil and leave your condolences at www.wcfish.com.