Francis M Stohler

Francis Maurice Stohler of Tampa Florida died peacefully Sunday February 2, 2020 at 12:40pm at his home in Tampa with loving family and friends at his side. He was 86. Francis was born in New Castle, Henry County, Indiana on July 15, 1933 to parents Carl and Dorothy (Brumback) Stohler.

Francis attended grade school in Millville Indiana and high school in Hagerstown Indiana, graduating in 1951. Francis attended Purdue University in Indiana for a short while studying landscaping. He also received a degree in Landscaping from The National Landscape Institute in 1960.

During the early 1960’s, Francis took flying lessons and was able to fly solo and obtaining his student license. He was disappointed he could not get his regular license because of medical issues but he still loved planes for the rest of his life.

He worked for his father in his vegetable gardens and fruit orchards as a kid and later for his father in his green house, known as Stohler’s Greenhouse. Francis married Caroline Rosalie Stomm in 1959 and then decided to work for Perfect Circle Piston Ring Corporation in Hagerstown Indiana. During this same time Francis had his only son, Steven Stohler, in November of 1966 with his wife Rosalie (Stomm) Stohler. Later he went into business for himself starting Stohler Landscaping, a lawn care business, then selling and repairing lawn and garden mowers and tractors along with the lawn work and winter snow plowing. Francis was a main dealer for early Springfield lawn equipment, Allis-Chalmers Lawn and Garden equipment, Lawn Boy equipment, Hoffco trimmers and other small brands. After several years he was able to win contracts from the State of Indiana to do seeding and sodding along the roadsides of new highways.

Francis was awarded a trip to Jamaica for selling the most equipment in his region early in his career and then in the mid-1970’s was the top regional dealer for two years in which Allis-Chalmers used his stock tractors for a 1979 nationwide brochure and photo shoot in Hagerstown Indiana. Francis joined the Optimist club at the urging of a good friend, however was not much of a club man but continued to support Hagerstown as a business owner as much as possible.

Failing markets forced a move to Tampa Florida in 1986 where he was in heaven as he loved the warm and sunny Florida weather. Francis worked for a few large landscaping firms that took care of huge housing developments, but later decided to start a similar business of his own, Preferred Lawn Service, which did lawn maintenance and landscaping on a smaller scale with himself and a few small crews. He worked in his business till the age of 72 and then retired in 2006.

He was later involved on the management and board of Heatherwood Village where they lived and was always helping people get things done if it was landscape or maintenance related. Francis supplied hanging baskets that he placed on the pole lights around the community. He was very proud of these and watered and cared for them daily. He also had a beautiful courtyard at his home planted in all types of trees and flowers which he loved to work in daily.

Survivors include his wife, Caroline Rosalie (Stomm) Stohler, his son Steven Stohler (Amy), Mary Louise Adamson (John), Barbara Doughty (Smith), Richard Stohler (Marilyn), Gale Stohler (Lana),

Grand Daughters, Shelley D. Stohler, Savannah C. Stohler and Sierra A. Stohler, and several nieces and nephews. Francis was preceded in death by Norma Stohler (Gene), Marvin Stohler (Betty), John Adamson (Mary Louise), Gene Stohler (Norma).

A Celebration of Life will take place at 3pm on Saturday, February 22, 2020 at Blount and Curry Funeral Home Carrollwood Chapel located at 3207 W. Bearss Ave. Tampa, FL. 33618. Family will receive friends one hour prior.