Adolph F. "Buddy" Poehls of Elm Mott, was born in Damon, Texas on December 11, 1928 to Walter F. and Angela (Gerik) Poehls. He left this life on June 9, 2017. Funeral will be at the Bellmead Funeral Home on Saturday, June 17, 2017 at 11 a.m. Visitation will be one hour before. Rev. Jack Bodenhamer officiating. Burial will be at the Waco Memorial Park.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Elm Mott and an over 60 year member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
He began his schooling by trimming houses and building cabinets. In 1948 at the age of 20, he drew plans for his first house on Rolando in Waco. Because of restrictions, he could not build cabinets as he had planned, so he sold this house and bought land in Elm Mott. In 1951 he built his second house on Charles St. with a building to work in. During this time, he bought lots around this area and built and sold houses, doing the drafting, writing specifications and was foreman on every job. As the business grew, he used part of the building behind his house for a small lumber yard, as a means of buying wholesale. He stocked paint, hardware and other things. He bought lumber from East Texas and California. As the small lumber yard grew, he bought land on I. H. 35 and built a larger lumber yard known as Poehls Lumber Co.
In 1951, he built a small shopping center in Elm Mott, known as the Parkway Shopping Center. He leased spaces to the Post Office, Laundromat, Barber Shop, Beauty Shop, Drug Store and Grocery Store and put in a Variety Store to complete. In time, he sold this center.
As his schooling continued, he advanced to building larger houses, schools and Churches for architects and engineers, mostly for Weideman and Salmond, locally. He also worked for other architects from out of town.
Among the buildings he built locally are the Salvation Army Building on I. H. 35; the LaVega Gym on Ashleman in Bellmead; First Baptist Church of Elm Mott; Lakeview City Hall; Everyday Inn in Northcrest; Lacy Lakeview Elementary School on Lakeview and Avenue C; Connally Intermediate School on James Street; Geneva Hall in Elm Mott; Elks Lodge in Elm Mott; an apartment house in Coolidge; a Nursing Home in Groesbeck; Churches in Graham and Weatherford and a City Hall and Fire Station in Whitney and many others.
In 1962, he purchased acreage on FM 308 and developed a residential area. He brought all utilities to the area, curbs and gutters and asphalt streets. In 1964, he built his 3rd house and several others in the area. He sold lots to others who built their own homes. He was so busy in construction that he closed the lumber yard, moving paint, hardware, etc. to the Variety Store. He then changed the lumber yard property into his offices and rental space. He had bought the area around the lumber yard and developed it for commercial also bringing all utilities to the area. He built many steel buildings that he still owns and rents.
In 1968, he began building post offices from their plans and specifications. These were built under their supervision and leased to the U.S.P.S. He built 21 but have sold some that are farther from home and today owns 9. In all of his construction, he did his own estimating and worked as foreman on every job.
Buddy was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Ernest Poehls and wife, Pauline; sister, Christene Green and husband, Jack; sister, Irene Tadlock and husband, Alton.
Survivors include his 2 sons, Roger Poehls and wife, Joy of Robinson and Barry Poehls and wife, Terri of Elm Mott; 2 daughters, Linda Piquet of Lubbock and Lisa Hyatt and husband, Ervin of Lubbock; 5 grandsons, Ryan and Bryan Poehls, David and Jason Kroll and Timothy Hyatt; 5 granddaughters, Lorie Lay, Melanie and Julie Poehls, Karry Dornak and Nettie Kvick, 10 great-grandchildren; the mother of his children, Berta Poehls. Though they divorced in 1995, they remained family, friends and business partners. A brother, Alvin J. (Benny) Poehls and wife, Adele of West; and sister, Lydia Roggenbuck and husband, Marcus of Ponca City, Oklahoma.
The family extends a special thank you to The Atrium Nursing Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Elm Mott or the charity of your choice.
Please sign the online guest book at www.bellmeadfuneralhome.com