The Excelsior Standard, Dec. 30, 2022

On Dec. 17, 2022, when the Lord called in a to-go dinner order and requested that the greatest waitress deliver it straight to Heaven, he called Vicky Kohler. Victoria “Vicky” Kohler, 88, was born on April 28, 1934, to Bertha Hager in Logan County, W.Va. Early in life, Vicky took a job as a carhop at a drive-in in West Virginia. This was the beginning of what would be a lifelong career for her, becoming the world’s best and happiest waitress. Through the years, she waitressed at various restaurants. For the last 34 years, she was a favorite face and everyone’s friend at The Mill Inn.

Vicky loved her family deeply, and she never met a stranger. She had a wonderful sense of humor, loved to laugh and always, always had a smile on her face. As her Mill Inn Family has said, her heart was as warm as the food she served.

Those left behind who will miss her greatly and remember her always are her sons, Harold (Yupin) Kohler, Carl (Christine) Kohler; her daughter, Sharon (Jerry) Lewis; her granddaughters, Amanda (Kevin) Kohler, Katie (Jason) Boruch, Youbin Kohler; her grandson, Seth (Riley) Kohler; her great-grandchildren, Connor, Haydn, Brielle, Chad, Kamryn, Issac, Michelle and Garrett; her brothers, Julius Maynard and Ransom Maynard; her sister, Louise Bentley; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and a whole community of customers.

Vicky was greeted with open arms upon her heavenly arrival by her husband, Harold “Hal” Kohler; her daughter, Panthiea Phillips; her grandsons, Jordan Lewis and Matthew Kohler; her mother, Bertha Hager; her two brothers, Kenneth Maynard and Everett Maynard; many friends; and all her faithful dogs she loved over the years.

A celebration of Vicky’s life will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21, at The Mill Inn, 415 St. Louis Ave., Excelsior Springs.

The family requests no flowers or cards, but please bring all your stories of Vicky to her celebration of life to share with friends and family.

“Wherever a beautiful soul has been, there is a trail of beautiful memories.”