Henry Paul Pohlmann

Henry P. “Hank” Pohlmann, 79, of Davenport died Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at Genesis Medical Center – West Central Park, Davenport. Visitation will be Saturday, July 9, 2011, from 4 pm to 6 pm at the Runge Mortuary. Private burial will be at the National Cemetery Rock Island, IL. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of the Mississippi Valley.

Hank was born March 3, 1932, in Davenport, the son of Henry and Magda Pohlmann. He graduated from Davenport High School in 1950 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he served on the USS Yancey during the Korean War. He married Marilyn Ragan on January 12, 1952 in Davenport. He was employed as a tool and die maker for various Quad Cities firms until joining the Rock Island Arsenal in the early 1960s. He worked for the US Army Weapons Command, retiring in 1997. He supervised the tool kits sent into the field for the maintenance and repair of Army equipment.

Hank enjoyed many different facets of life, especially motor sports, but his one true passion was aviation. Beginning when he was twelve years old, his goal was to become a pilot. During his lifetime, he became an acknowledged master model designer and builder. For ten years he worked at the model airplane company SIG in Montezuma, Iowa where he designed and built numerous award winning aircraft. His accomplishments included building a replica of the Tuskegee Airman’s famed “red-tailed” P-51 Mustangs for the Smithsonian Museum and a flyable scale-model for entertainer Pat Boone. He also achieved his goal of becoming a pilot, having his own airplane (which of course he built a flyable scale model of), and logging many hours in the air, especially his annual trip to the Reno National Air Races where he served as an air race crew team member.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Marilyn Pohlmann of Davenport, son Steve of Big Canoe, GA; son Gary and wife Katie of Suwanee, GA; grandchildren Kehley (C.J.) Lombardi and Kimberley; nieces Jeanne (Mike) White and Katie Ragan; nephews Jon Pohlmann, John Ragan (Tammy), David (Janine) Ragan and Liam Ragan and their families.

He was preceded in death by his parents Henry and Magda Pohlmann; brother and sister-in-law Helm and Trudy Pohlmann; in-laws Charles and Viola Ragan; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Gil and Joyce Ragan. We will miss him greatly.

Online remembrances and condolences may be expressed by visiting Hank’s obituary at www.therungemortuary.com