Specialist Herbert W. Kohus PS-92 (1942-2022)

Herb was born July 13, 1942 in Cincinnati to World War II Naval veteran, Louis Oscar, and Lillian Murial (Paston) Kohus.  He attended Clermont Northeastern High School in Owensville and graduated in May 1960.

After high school, he went to work as a salesclerk for Rosenweig and Michaelson Department Store in Batavia, Ohio.

Herb enlisted in the United States Army on May 31, 1963, two years into the United States participation in the Vietnam War.  On October 18, 1963, he completed the Military Police Academy and served in the 537^th Military Police Company as a Military Policeman.  He received specialized traffic control training in Oberammergau, Germany in 1964, and was sent through the 8^th Infantry Division Noncommissioned Officers Academy, graduating on March 20, 1965.  On May 24, 1966, Corporal Kohus was honorably discharged and joined the Army Reserve.

Five months later, having finished third (out of 96) in a Civil Service examination for the position, Herb was appointed Police Recruit in the Cincinnati Police Division.  On December 27, 1966, he was promoted to Patrolman, issued Badge 389, and assigned to District 6 (3295 Erie Avenue).  Patrolman Kohus was rotated to District 2 (314 Broadway) on January 7, 1968.  District 2 merged with District 1 (310 Lincoln Park Drive) on February 2, 1970, and he would spend the next 27 years there.

He married Victoria L. Poth, a Hamilton County Probation Officer, on March 20, 1971.

He was promoted to Specialist on November 8, 1981, issued Badge PS-92, and assigned to the District 1 Investigative Unit.  Specialist Kohus excelled in investigations and case clearances, clearing between almost 60% to almost 70% of well more than 200 cases annually.  During Police Memorial Week 1990, Specialist Kohus was honored with an award for his work with children in Over the Rhine.  Specialist Kohus retired February 8, 1997, with 37 years of service to his country and community and an astounding 70 letters of appreciation and/or commendation; including 8 from various police chiefs, 2 from City councilmembers, 2 from assistant prosecuting attorneys, and one each from Cincinnati Fire Chief Norman Wells and Hamilton County Sheriff Lincoln Stokes.

Specialist Kohus suffered a stroke on Monday, April 18, 2022.  It was sufficiently mild enough that he was able to direct his wife, Vickie, to take him to the hospital and to discuss the possibility of his death and final arrangements.  He coded while there, was resuscitated, and coded again and was oxygen-deprived too long for survival.  Specialist Kohus died during the morning of April 21, 2022.  He was 79 years old.

He is predeceased by his siblings, Sue Parker, Louise “Bud” Kohus, Ronald “Ronnie” Kohus, David Kohus, and George Kohus.  Specialist Kohus is survived by his wife of 52 years, Victoria Lee “Vicky” (Poth) Kohus; children, Mark Christopher (Kim) Kohus, Amy Michelle (Greg) Pieper, and Lawrence Gene Kohus; five grandchildren; and siblings, William “Bill” Kohus, Cecelia Hueston, and John Kohus.

Visitation will be held 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, April 28, 2022 at E. C. Nurre Funeral Home at 177 W. Main Street in Amelia.

An FOP service will be held at 6:45 p.m.  A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 29, 2022.  Burial will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Greater Cincinnati Police Museum, 308 Reading Road, Suite 201, Cincinnati, OH  45202.

_{© 2022 – All rights reserved to LT Stephen R. Kramer RET, PS Edward W. Zieverink III, and the Greater Cincinnati Police Museum}

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