In Memory Of
Lee Damkoehler
1946
2022
Lee Damkoehler
March 3, 1946 — October 12, 2022
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Lee Damkoehler, age 76, on October 12, 2022. He died at home after several health issues.
Lee was born on March 3, 1946, to David and Edna (Walters) Damkoehler in Oconto, Wisconsin. Lee was a life-long resident of Oconto and spent his childhood biking, exploring and being very involved in Boy Scouts. Every summer he went to Bear Paw scout camp in the Nicolet Forest, while at Bear Paw, he was asked to join the Order of the Arrow, Scouting's National Honor Society. Along with attending two National Jamborees, he was invited to work at Philmont scout ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico.
After graduating from Oconto High School, Lee enlisted in the Navy. He was assigned to a post at Moffett Federal Airfield in Santa Clara County, California during the Vietnam Conflict. After mustering out of the Navy, Lee returned to Oconto where he briefly owned a transfer company, trucking goods around northeastern Wisconsin. Then he took a position at the Kohler Foundry in Kohler, Wisconsin. Lastly, he was employed as a web press operator at Fort Howard Paper Company in Green Bay, Wisconsin where he remained until retirement. While he was at Fort Howard, he purchased a home on the Oconto River. The house was beautifully remodeled with a large deck surrounding the kitchen. He created a stone riverbank made of stone from vintage buildings that had been razed in Oconto. His home and surroundings are very beautiful with mature trees and a riverbank view.
In the basement of his house was a one-barrel capacity pilot brewery. Lee had an extraordinary interest in creating beer. Starting at age 14 in 1960, well before there was any home brewing or craft beer, Lee was creating home-brewed beer. Along with contacting retired brew masters to discuss brewing, and obtaining recipes and vintage brewing textbooks, he had brewing equipment custom made from copper and stainless steel. As a home brewer he was years ahead of his time.
His research led him to go to Germany to experience Munich Oktoberfest beer in the late 1960s. He had a prodigious memory for the taste and smell of beers, and his first Oktoberfest remained as an important benchmark. He continuously traveled to Germany to study a wide range of German beers with a special interest in small family-run breweries. His research of Rauchbier, beer brewed with smoked malt and brewed to märzen strength from the Franconia and Bamberg area. Additionally, he traveled to England and Scotland to study farmhouse ales and classic scotch ales, and to Slavic countries as member of a beer association.
He experimented and refined his beer for family and friends. He didn't have an interest in commercial brewing. Michael Jackson, the beer historian, was a friend in the beer community. Lee corresponded with many beer experts traveling to national beer conferences to meet with them. He co-wrote an article about the history of Oconto beer with his older brother that was published in Voyager Magazine, Northeast Wisconsin Historical Review. He attended the University of California-Davis short course brewing program resulting in Lee being awarded two certificates in brewing. In sum, he had an extraordinary devotion to the study and creation of highly crafted beer.
While living at his house in Oconto, Lee befriended feral cats that roamed his neighborhood, providing warm shelter on his deck in the coldest months, and taking in several as companions. On the internet when one searches Lee's name, one finds a beautiful photographic portrait of Rusty, one of his beloved cats. Lee was an accomplished photographer, photographing a wide range of subjects including local events and family gatherings, and he created an artistic series of poignant and poetic photographs in setting and situations of people living on the margins of life, including small, picturesque taverns that were unchanged from long ago. Often these images would be in black and white. He supported the John Michael Kohler Art Center because of his interest in vernacular, self-taught and contemporary art.
Lee had many close friends worldwide and specifically Oconto, Green Bay, and Sturgeon Bay. He was a member of Oconto civic organizations and the local Masonic Pine Lodge. He was friendly, sharing, and loyal to his companions, especially the elderly. From his first forays into looking up retired brew masters in Florida as a young man, Lee had always been interested in the insights and conversations with the elderly. This interest coincided with his intensive and knowledgeable evangelical bible study, and membership in the Gospel Chapel in Oconto.
Lee was preceded in death by his parents, David Sr. and Edna (Walters) Damkoehler. Lee is survived by his three brothers, David and Toni (Baker) Damkoehler, Jay and JoAnn (Grimme) Damkoehler, and Mark and Cheri (Smith) Damkoehler.
The funeral service will be graveside at Bay Side Cemetery in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin on Wednesday, October 19th at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Bobbie Skelly officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Oconto Area Humane Society:
https:// ocontoareahumane.org
Lee was born on March 3, 1946, to David and Edna (Walters) Damkoehler in Oconto, Wisconsin. Lee was a life-long resident of Oconto and spent his childhood biking, exploring and being very involved in Boy Scouts. Every summer he went to Bear Paw scout camp in the Nicolet Forest, while at Bear Paw, he was asked to join the Order of the Arrow, Scouting's National Honor Society. Along with attending two National Jamborees, he was invited to work at Philmont scout ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico.
After graduating from Oconto High School, Lee enlisted in the Navy. He was assigned to a post at Moffett Federal Airfield in Santa Clara County, California during the Vietnam Conflict. After mustering out of the Navy, Lee returned to Oconto where he briefly owned a transfer company, trucking goods around northeastern Wisconsin. Then he took a position at the Kohler Foundry in Kohler, Wisconsin. Lastly, he was employed as a web press operator at Fort Howard Paper Company in Green Bay, Wisconsin where he remained until retirement. While he was at Fort Howard, he purchased a home on the Oconto River. The house was beautifully remodeled with a large deck surrounding the kitchen. He created a stone riverbank made of stone from vintage buildings that had been razed in Oconto. His home and surroundings are very beautiful with mature trees and a riverbank view.
In the basement of his house was a one-barrel capacity pilot brewery. Lee had an extraordinary interest in creating beer. Starting at age 14 in 1960, well before there was any home brewing or craft beer, Lee was creating home-brewed beer. Along with contacting retired brew masters to discuss brewing, and obtaining recipes and vintage brewing textbooks, he had brewing equipment custom made from copper and stainless steel. As a home brewer he was years ahead of his time.
His research led him to go to Germany to experience Munich Oktoberfest beer in the late 1960s. He had a prodigious memory for the taste and smell of beers, and his first Oktoberfest remained as an important benchmark. He continuously traveled to Germany to study a wide range of German beers with a special interest in small family-run breweries. His research of Rauchbier, beer brewed with smoked malt and brewed to märzen strength from the Franconia and Bamberg area. Additionally, he traveled to England and Scotland to study farmhouse ales and classic scotch ales, and to Slavic countries as member of a beer association.
He experimented and refined his beer for family and friends. He didn't have an interest in commercial brewing. Michael Jackson, the beer historian, was a friend in the beer community. Lee corresponded with many beer experts traveling to national beer conferences to meet with them. He co-wrote an article about the history of Oconto beer with his older brother that was published in Voyager Magazine, Northeast Wisconsin Historical Review. He attended the University of California-Davis short course brewing program resulting in Lee being awarded two certificates in brewing. In sum, he had an extraordinary devotion to the study and creation of highly crafted beer.
While living at his house in Oconto, Lee befriended feral cats that roamed his neighborhood, providing warm shelter on his deck in the coldest months, and taking in several as companions. On the internet when one searches Lee's name, one finds a beautiful photographic portrait of Rusty, one of his beloved cats. Lee was an accomplished photographer, photographing a wide range of subjects including local events and family gatherings, and he created an artistic series of poignant and poetic photographs in setting and situations of people living on the margins of life, including small, picturesque taverns that were unchanged from long ago. Often these images would be in black and white. He supported the John Michael Kohler Art Center because of his interest in vernacular, self-taught and contemporary art.
Lee had many close friends worldwide and specifically Oconto, Green Bay, and Sturgeon Bay. He was a member of Oconto civic organizations and the local Masonic Pine Lodge. He was friendly, sharing, and loyal to his companions, especially the elderly. From his first forays into looking up retired brew masters in Florida as a young man, Lee had always been interested in the insights and conversations with the elderly. This interest coincided with his intensive and knowledgeable evangelical bible study, and membership in the Gospel Chapel in Oconto.
Lee was preceded in death by his parents, David Sr. and Edna (Walters) Damkoehler. Lee is survived by his three brothers, David and Toni (Baker) Damkoehler, Jay and JoAnn (Grimme) Damkoehler, and Mark and Cheri (Smith) Damkoehler.
The funeral service will be graveside at Bay Side Cemetery in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin on Wednesday, October 19th at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Bobbie Skelly officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Oconto Area Humane Society:
https:// ocontoareahumane.org
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Lee Damkoehler, please visit our flower store.
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