- Date Of Birth: November 3, 1938
- Date Of Death: January 9, 2017
- State: Connecticut
COLCHESTER – It is with profound sadness that the family of John George Mohrlein, Sr., announces his peaceful passing on the morning of Monday, January 9, 2017.
He left us on the family farm where he entered life on November 3, 1938, the middle child and only son of German immigrants, the late Johann and Elisabeth (Kuenzner) Mohrlein.
John was a lifelong resident of Colchester, attending grade school and then studying the trades at both Vinal and Norwich State Technical Schools. However, his senior year, was spent rounding out his studies at Bacon Academy, graduating with the Class of 1956.
While on a senior class trip to Washington, DC., John met then high school sophomore – Arlene Louise Gandolf of Flushing, NY. A two-year courtship continuing through John’s tenure in the Marine Corps, culminated with them joining together in marriage on Dec. 20, 1958 at St.
Arlene moved to the farm – a world apart from Queens – while John completed his tour of duty in the Corps in 1959, being honorably discharged at the rank of Lance Corporal.
Early on, John worked for the late Dwight H. Marvin and his late son, Loren, as a mechanic at their dealership in Colchester, while also driving a school bus for the former Clark’s Transportation and tending to work on the farm.
In 1961, just a few weeks before the birth of their first child, his family suffered the tragic and sudden loss of his father and a year later, months before the birth of their second child, the passing of his mother.
Together, John and Arlene made the decision to take the farm from small scale and build it into a larger dairy operation, while continuing to work as a mechanic at D.H. Marvin. As the family grew, so did the farm, along with the help of many appreciated farm hands over those next three decades.
In the early 1980’s, he took a position with the Colchester Highway Department prior to conducting an auction of his dairy herd in the Fall of 1985. The next morning, however, he baffled many by buying back 16 head of cattle the very next day – but now only to be a “hobby” for the next 15 years or so.
During his tenure with the Town of Colchester, his die-hard work ethic would bring him up the ranks quickly as First Assistant, and then Road Foreman, as well as his appointment as Tree Warden for the town. In 1993, he then took a position as Assistant Foreman and fleet mechanic for the Hebron Public Works Department until his “retirement” in 2004.
However, retirement to John only meant that he would no longer receive a paycheck every two weeks. He continued to work tirelessly each and every day. John took great pride and dedication in maintaining his equipment and property, as well as his eager and willingness to help, guide; engineer; fix; and generally SUPERVISE any project of both his family and friends alike.
He held a great respect for the land (as in his words, “they’re not making any more”). He leaves a gift to us all by having been such a great steward of that tract of land on Route 16 that has been enjoyed, photographed, and painted by so many over the decades.
In addition to his devoted wife of 58 years, he leaves his four children – Arlene “Tootsie” Roberts (and her partner, Jacqueline Rowell), John, Jr.
The family would like to express their most sincere appreciation to the staff of Middlesex Hospital, especially Dr. Todd Bishop, with whom he shared a unique relationship.
Colchester-Hayward Volunteer Fire Company
18-54 Old Hartford Road, Colchester CT 06415
