Marta Kohne Obituary

Kohne, Marta Louise

Marta Schmoll Kohne died at her home in Chicago on July 26, 2023, after a prolonged illness. She was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1949 to Robert and Elizabeth Sexton Schmoll. Marta graduated from Bishop Luers High School in Fort Wayne and St. Louis University. With a master's degree from the Northern Illinois University, Marta devoted her career to the education of special needs children, working with preschool students with visual impairments for the School Association for Special Education in DuPage County.

Her colleague and friend Joan Allison remembers that Marta embodied "the best characteristics of a preschool teacher. She was kind, empathetic, had great communication skills with her students and parents, and fostered curiosity and engagement with her students. Marta was an outstanding diagnostician, she could work with a new preschooler for a short time and identify their needs (she would back it up with testing), and she was always right on! Parents looked to Marta for support and guidance, which she freely gave. Many parents struggled with low expectations because of their child's visual impairment, but Marta was able to guide them into understanding that their child would benefit from independence. Marta engaged with her students focusing on the most important skills for students who are visually impaired. She strived to have each child be independent at their highest level."

All who knew Marta enjoyed her sense of humor. She was devoted to her family, including her siblings Barbara Mahoney of Wilsonville, Oregon, Robert Schmoll of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Kathryn Schmoll of Lafayette, Colorado, and Tracy Smith of Hillsborough, North Carolina, and her nieces and nephews. She reveled in a wonderful collection of dear friends including Beth and Anna Muchler, and Ed Noel. The family is very grateful to her caregiver, Yolanda Kelly.

Marta's Life Celebration will be on Saturday, September 23, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Clara's Restaurant, 6550 IL-53 in Woodridge, Illinois. Her family suggests memorial gifts to Habitat for Humanity or the Southern Poverty Law Center, two organizations close to her heart.

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