By Scott Halasz
BEAVERCREEK — There wasn’t much Everett Koogler didn’t do in his life.
The life-long Beavercreek resident, who died Oct. 11 at the age of 99, was a farmer, a basketball and baseball player for Beavercreek High School and a World War II veteran, who served in the 32nd Infantry, Red Arrow Division, 114th Combat Engineer Battalion in the South Pacific. The last living member of the BHS class of 1935, Koogler was also a Realtor before eventually retiring from Bendix/Sheffield in 1982.
But Koogler will be most remembered for his skills as an auctioneer with Koogler Auctions, which he did for more than 75 years — when he wasn’t busy mowing his lawn, watching the Cincinnati Reds or visiting with friends. Koogler began auctioneering in 1950, working with his father, Earl, who started the family business in 1914.
Everett learned the tricks of the trade from Earl.
“The first sale I went out on with dad was a sale up in Fairborn,” Everett told the Xenia Daily Gazette for a story published in 2014. “(There were) household goods and a few farm implements. Come my turn (to auction), my dad said ‘go ahead.’ I chickened out on him. I didn’t sell a thing. Coming home, Dad said ‘If you want to be an auctioneer, you have to do better than you do today.’ From then on, I started selling.”
Everett’s son, Garry, started auctioneering in 1983 and now runs the business, which celebrated 100 years in 2014. One of the most successful sales for the Kooglers came in 1990 when Everett and Garry worked side-by-side at an antique and estate sale. It was lucrative, according to a story in Antique Week, but Everett said it was also one of his fondest memories of working side-by-side with his son.
Everett continued to handel the gavel as often as he could, even in his 90s.
In addition to Garry and his wife, Karen, Koogler is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Sandy (Wendell) Hurley, of London, Ohio, a daughter-in-law, Ruby Koogler, of Denver, five grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, a great-great-grandson, six step-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, and many close friends.
