William A. Kohl Sr., of Lincroft, was born in Platt Mount (Locust) on January 28, 1929. William, known as “the Lincroft Special,” graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School and the Allied School of Mechanical Trade in Chicago. He served in the US Army from 1951-53 as sergeant 1st Class, 2nd Division in Korea. He worked in all aspects of his family construction business, Wilko Corporation. He served as president of the company.
In 1960, he married Patricia Divers. He and Patricia raised four children. In 1974, William and Patricia established the Lincroft Christmas Tree Farm, where three generations of the Kohl family learned the fruits of dedication and hard work for over 40 years.
Sailing was a lifelong passion that, for William, began as a small boy with a leaky wooden boat on the banks of the Navesink River. Later in his life, he sailed his beloved red-hulled, Liebchen, with his family up and down the East Coast.
William was a founding member and parishioner at St. Leo the Great Roman Catholic Church. He was also a member of the Shrewsbury River Yacht Club, the Root Beer and Checker Club, the N.J. Christmas Tree Growers Association, the Knights of Columbus and the American Legion.
William is survived by his sister, Doris Kohl of Monmouth Beach; his wife, Patricia Kohl; a daughter, Mary Patricia Lamberti and her husband David of Madison, Connecticut; a daughter, Susan Malone and her husband Mark of Rumson; a son, William Kohl Jr. of Lincroft; a daughter, Kathleen Kohl and her husband Joseph Laroski of Washington, D.C.; and 10 grandchildren, Conor (Ellen), Sean, Brianna, Kelsey, Christopher, Marielle, William, Joseph, Amelia and Lily Grace; and one great-grandchild, Abigail.
John E. Day Funeral Home, Red Bank, was in charge of arrangements. Memorial donations may be made in his name to the Social Concerns Committee, St. Leo the Great Parish, Lincroft, N.J.
