Walter J. Kohler, Jr.

Life & Legacy

Walter Jodok Kohler Jr. (April 4, 1904 – March 21, 1976) was an American businessman and politician from Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. He was the 33rd governor of Wisconsin, serving three terms from 1951 to 1957. He was a leading figure of the state and national Republican Party in his era; his role in the 1952 clash between U.S. Senator Joseph R. McCarthy and then-presidential candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower has interested historians for decades. Before running for office, Kohler served as a Naval intelligence officer in World War II, and was decorated for his service in the Pacific theater.
Walter Kohler Jr. was a member of the Kohler family of Wisconsin, his father, Walter J. Kohler Sr., was the 26th governor of Wisconsin, and his son, Terry Kohler, was an unsuccessful candidate for governor in 1982. Walter Kohler Jr. worked for several years as a sales executive for the Kohler Company—the company founded by his grandfather. After his tenure as governor, he worked for the last two decades of his life as president of the Vollrath Company—a company founded by his great-grandfather.