Kermit F. Stroh
Kermit F. Stroh
Kermit Stroh is one of our members who lived out of town (Lima, Ohio) and never has had the opportunity to attend any of our meetings, however, he is a Korean War Veteran who is proud of his service during the war. He was a tent mate of Lew Ewing when they served with the 6th Helicopter Company located in Chunchon, Korea in 1953-54. He found out about the Korean War Veterans Association and our Chapter in August 2016 when Lew and Mary Jane were visiting Kerm and Mary Ellen at their summer home in Harbor Springs, Michigan and he decided that he wanted to become a member of the KWVA and our Chapter even though he realized that he would not have the opportunity to share in fellowship and camaraderie with his fellow Korean veterans.
Kermit Ferdinand (Kerm) Stroh was born in Moulton, Ohio, a small community located in the western part of the state near Wapakoneta on February 25, 1933 to Elmer and Emma Stroh. He graduated from Blume High School, class of 1951 and worked with his father in the Moulton General Store until called to service with the US Army during the Korean War. He received his Basic Training at Ft. Eustis, VA and graduated from Advanced Helicopter Maintenance School at Gary Air Force Base in San Marcos, TX before receiving orders to the Far East and was assigned to the 6th Helicopter Company where he served a Crew Chief on an H-19 helicopter. After the war ended, the 6th Helicopter Company was transferred to Japan, and since he was a "short timer'', Keim was reassigned to the 6th' s sister company, the 13th Helicopter Company located in Uij ungbu,
Korea where he completed his overseas tour of duty.
After returning home from Korea, in 1958 Kenn and his father Elmer, founded Moulton Gas Service, Inc., working out of the back bedroom of Elmer's house. From that humble start, the company grew into a multi-state full-service propane company. During those years, Kerm was the only person to serve two terms as the Ohio Propane Gas Association President. In the early 2000's, he was ready to slow-down and spend more time with his family, so Kerm accepted an offer from another propane company that was looking to expand their footprint in his market area and he sold his company to them.
Kerm believed in giving back to his community by volunteering his time and expertise while serving on numerous community organization boards of directors including serving multiple terms on the Lima Memorial Hospital Board plus serving on the Bowling Green State University Board of Trustees where he served two terms as board chair from 1999-2001. He was recognized for his contributions to BGSU by being awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in 2002. Following the sale of his propane business, he and his wife provided a major gift to help construct BGSU's convocation building - The Stroh Center and also established the Kerm and Mary Lu Stroh Scholarship Fund at BGSU, which provides an annual scholarship to a student in their area. A die-hard supporter of Falcon athletics, Kerm was inducted into the BGSU Athletic Hall of Fame in October of 2022.
He was married to his first wife, Mary Lu, for 57 years until her death in 2008. They were the proud parents of three daughters, Tracey, Deborah, and Melissa, grandparents to five grandsons and great-grandparents to five great-grandchildren. Following the death of Mary Lu, Kerm married Mary Ellen Good.
Kerm passed away on September 22, 2022 at the age of 89 years, survived by his wife, Mary Ellen.
While in Korea, Lew Ewing remembers Kerm as an easy-going, friendly, and knowledgeable fellow soldier who was always willing to help any member of our section at any time. That attitude was still evident when Kerm and Lew reconnected in 2010 after some 55+ years. With Kerm's passing, Lew feels he has lost a brother.