Martha Proescholdt, 79, died peacefully on December 31, 2021, at the home of her son and daughter-in-law in Ruckersville, Virginia. She was born in Whitehall, Wisconsin, to Harold and Irene Florence (nee
Back) Wood, on July 24, 1942. Most people knew her as “Kip” or “Kippy,” a name she inherited from her
great aunt Kippy Wood, who died in the diphtheria epidemic that ravaged Whitehall.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Vaughn and Terri Kowahl, their children, Paige, Kevin and
Jadyn; her brother and sister-in-law Dave and Ruth Wood; sister-in-law Celina Kopp, Kopp children and
grandchildren; cousins Paul Back, Sue Krueger, and Nancy Stuempges; step-children Ann Shaw and her
husband Curt, Carl Proescholdt and his wife Katie, Mary Halada and her husband Tom, Marty Larson and
her husband Rhys. In addition, Kip made and kept countless friends over the years who enriched her
life.
In 1960, Kip graduated from Whitehall H.S. where she played in the band, sang in the choir, and was a
drum majorette. Having been allowed to comb her grandfather’s hair from the time she was little, and
realizing that she loved doing that, she pursued a career in cosmetology and attended school in
Milwaukee. After graduation, she returned home to Whitehall where she worked in several beauty
parlors until she married Dr. Simon Kowahl, DVM, in 1963. They settled in Independence and Kip
opened her own beauty parlor. She owned and operated “Kip’s Coiffeurs” until Sam’s death in 1999.
Kip made friends easily and she found new ones when she moved to River Falls to be close to her
brother. One new friend found in River Falls was Paul Proescholdt, whom she married in 2001. They
settled in Mesa, AZ and had a wonderful life together. Kip was an avid golfer and enjoyed sewing and
quilting.
Kip was preceded in death by her father and mother; stepmother, Edna Johnson; stepbrother, Douglas
Kopp; two sons, Patrick and Kelly and her husbands.
Kip’s remains will be laid to rest at 1 p.m. at S.S. Peter & Paul’s Catholic Cemetery in Independence, WI on August 18, 2022. To express condolences to her family online, please visit www.edisonfuneralhome.com.
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