Colonel Karl Edwin Mauerhan

Colonel (Ret.) Karl Edwin Mauerhan, age 92, of Edon, Ohio, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, May 29, 2023. Born on February 22, 1931, in Edon, he was the son of Arthur Carl “A.C.” and Louise Ann (Starr) Mauerhan. Colonel Mauerhan was a graduate of Edon High School and Bowling Green State University, where he earned his B.S. and was affiliated with Kappa Sigma fraternity. 

Seven months after graduation he married the love of his life and wife of sixty-two years, Gretchen Elizabeth VanBrunt, in Lancaster, New York. He served the country as a military officer in the Army, specializing in field artillery for 30 years and fought in the Vietnam war. He earned his M.B.A. and taught Military Science to ROTC candidates at The Ohio State University. 

Upon retirement, he returned to his hometown of Edon and fulfilled a lifelong dream of his wife’s to own and publish a newspaper by purchasing The Edon Commercial newspaper. For the next 23 years he also drove the school bus for the Edon Northwest School District, where he was affectionately known as “The Colonel.” Throughout the years, he was an active member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church and was involved in the Church Council. He was the Commander of the Edon American Legion Post and was passionate about coordinating military funerals for local veterans. He also, along with several community leaders, was involved in the establishment of the Williams County Veterans Memorial. 

Survivors include his son, Peter Karl (Camille) Mauerhan, and their children, Alexandria (Jamon) Wolfe, Andrew (Katerina) Mauerhan, and Abigail (Parker) Hale, and his daughter, Lisa Catherine Schadewald, and her children, Nicholas (Mia) Schadewald and Kate Schadewald.

Committal services for Col. Karl and Gretchen Mauerhan will be held at 1:00 pm on Friday, October 4, 2024, at Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C. 

Krill Funeral Service, 204 West Indiana Street, Edon, has been entrusted with arrangements.