Obituary of Betty Erdmann Kohl

Betty Erdmann Kohl Betty Erdmann Kohl died quietly of natural causes at Munson Hospice House in Traverse City on July 24th. She is remembered lovingly by family and friends for her strength of spirit, warm personality, and devotion to volunteerism. She was 98. Daughter of Ernst and Nelle Davis Erdmann, she was born in Detroit, MI on Sept. 1, 1921, the oldest of two children. She graduated from Northern High School in Detroit, and then University of Michigan where she majored in Early Childhood Education and enjoyed sorority life as a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She married John LeClerc Kohl during World War II and worked as a pre-school teacher in a wartime daycare center. After the war, she settled into married life in Detroit and then Bloomfield Hills where she raised their five children. She worked hard to establish a comfortable and nurturing home life for her growing family. When the last of her children graduated from college and her marriage ended, she moved to Traverse City, MI for the next 25 years of her life. Her commitment to volunteerism spanned her adult life. "Volunteerism has been my lifes blood," she once said. "I cant imagine not being in touch with or feeling useful in the larger community." As a member of the Junior League of Birmingham, she was active in the early development of Birminghams Child Guidance Clinic. She also trained as a Junior Great Books facilitator and enjoyed engaging young readers in discussion groups. After moving to Traverse City in 1978, she served as a court-appointed child advocate for the Grand Traverse County CASA, and also was a founding member of the Three Lakes Association with a group of Torch Lake residents intent on watershed protection. When she moved back downstate into Henry Ford Village in her early 80s, she tutored at Dearborn Heights Madison Elementary School. That weekly commitment to helping students strengthen their language skills extended into her mid-90s. She worked on several presidential campaigns, including those for John Anderson, George McGovern and Ted Kennedy, when she hosted Ted Kennedy Jr in her home. Her last efforts were for the local League of Women Voters. Aside from service to community, she was passionate about education, gardening, University of Michigan basketball and football, daily walks, Elderhostel (now Road Scholar) trips, performances at Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Detroit Symphony, farmers markets, and knitting beautiful woolens for her family. She imbued in each of her children a deep love and respect for the natural beauty of Northern Michigan, where they spent many happy summers on Torch Lake. Above all, she loved being a mother and grandmother. She is survived by her children, Laurel Gardner of Traverse City, MI, Kristin Finn (Terry) of Newton, MA, Frank Kohl of LAnse, MI, Jeff Kohl (Laura) of Alden, MI, and Maryl Kohl of Traverse City, MI. She has nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. The family is planning a private celebration of Bettys life. Donations in her memory may be sent to Camp Westminster: www.campwestminster.com "Donate."