Biography for

Fred Kohler

After graduating from Tri-State College Fred married his wife, Kay, and worked in Cleveland for two years at TRW where he designed automotive pistons. In 1967 they moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he worked for General Electric, designing electric motors. He then left the engineering department and went into the engineering systems department where he spent the last twenty years as a senior system analyst doing anything from designing and writing the specifications to actually writing the code for the computer program.

While he was working, Kay learned to make baskets, specializing in Nantucket style ones. In the early 1990's both of them started to teach a few classes. Then when he retired in 1998, they started to teach many more. Today they average about two classes a month. In the time between classes they make the bases, handles, lids, spokes, and rims. This keeps both of them very busy. They spend a lot of time on the road, teaching anywhere from Baltimore, Maryland, to St. Louis, Missouri. This year was an exceptionally busy year.

Fred also enjoys woodworking, travel, and golf. He has been married 45 years and has three children and two grandchildren.