John "Jack" H. Kahling III

John “Jack” Henry Kahling III, 79, passed away peacefully with family present on February 4, 2024, at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls in Chippewa Falls, WI.

Born on August 2, 1944, to Florence Marie and John Henry Kahling Jr. in Moline, Illinois, Jack grew up in the Quad Cities area and attended Rock Island High School, during which time he excelled at baseball, graduating in 1962. 

As a husband, father, Veteran of the Vietnam War, masonry contractor, friend, and grandfather, Jack was brave and steadfast in all he did. He proudly served our country in the U.S. Army from June of 1965 through June of 1967.  After completing basic training and just before deployment to Vietnam, Jack returned to the Quad Cities to marry his high school sweetheart, Arlene (nee Owen) Kahling on January 20, 1966.  After he was sent to Vietnam, he was quickly promoted to the rank of Specialist 5th Class (Sergeant). As a door gunner and crew chief on Huey attack helicopters, he received five decoration medals including a Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device, Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters, and an Aircraft Crewman Badge.

Following his service, he completed 4 years of training to become a journeyman mason. Jack then established Kahling Masonry which he successfully ran alongside Arlene for 30 years within the greater Quad Cities community, completing hundreds of residential and commercial projects. In his free time, he enjoyed spending time with his family fishing in Minnesota and Ontario and snowmobiling in Northern Wisconsin. He and Arlene eventually moved to St. Germain, Wisconsin to enjoy retirement. On any given Friday or Saturday, you could find him enjoying a beer while grilling dinner with his wife and friends with a bit of sarcasm at the ready.                                                               

Jack is survived by his wife of 58 years, Arlene; his children, John Henry Kahling IV (Kelly) and Jennifer Kahling Czupek (partner Judd Adelman); and four grandchildren, Kahley, Jakob, John “Jay” Henry V, and Chloe.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John Henry Jr. and Florence; sisters, Barbara, Judy and Pam; and son-in-law, Anthony “Tony.”

The family extends special thanks and gratitude to the staff at Wisconsin Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls and St. Croix Hospice for their compassionate care for Jack.

All are welcome to a full military honors service at the Northwoods National Cemetery in Harshaw, Wisconsin on Friday, February 9^th at 11:00 a.m. – 4520 Lakewood Rd, Harshaw, WI. A luncheon honoring Jack will be held immediately following the ceremony at Pitlik’s Sand Beach Resort – 4833 Sand Beach Dr, Eagle River, WI. Overnight accommodations are also available at the resort for out-of-town guests.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to support veterans at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls – 2175 E. Park Ave, Chippewa Falls, WI, 54729.