Pohlman sons follow in father's footsteps
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
The feet of James Pohlman, pastor of Peabody Christian Church, have taken him into various occupations. He has four sons, and each has followed in his footsteps in one way or another.
Pohlman served in the U.S. Navy and retired from active duty in 1963. His job was to tend the boilers on a destroyer. The boilers provided steam for running the ship and operating the gun mounts.
From 1964 to 1969, Pohlman was involved in law enforcement in Wichita and Overland Park. He also was a police officer in Peabody from 1996 to 1999, serving under police chief Don Rosine.
He and his wife moved to Peabody in 1986. He served as part-time pastor at the Christian church and also was sales manager for Colorations, a printing company in Wichita which is no longer in business. He now serves as full-time minister at the church.
Pohlman's oldest son, Jeff, is chief of police in Peabody. Son Tim is minister at the Burlington, Ind., Church of Christ. He also was in the Navy and served as a chaplain's assistant.
Son Kip lives in Peabody. After graduating from high school, he worked at Colorations until the company closed. He now does computer layout for Rand Publishing Co. in Wichita.
A fourth son, Dusty, has chosen a career in the Navy. He lives at Goose Creek, S.C., (near Charleston), where he is a staff instructor at the nuclear propulsion school. The school provides hands-on training using a submarine prototype.
Pohlman is proud of his four sons.
"They're all very patriotic, and they got that from their father," he said unapologetically. He too, followed in the footsteps of his father, who was a Navy man.
All of the sons are married and have given the Pohlmans 10 grandchildren to date, with another one on the way. Whether the grandsons will follow in their fathers', grandfather's, and great-grandfather's footsteps remains to be seen.
