Kohneita Revelle Lear, 95, of New Bremen, Ohio, died on January 14, 2026 at Vancrest of Saint Marys. She was born on January 11, 1931, in Brookville, Ohio, to Leonard H. Jenkins and Sylvia A. (Monebrake) Jenkins, she was of Cherokee, Welsh, French and English descent and was very proud of her Cherokee heritage.

On June 24, 1950, she married William L. Lear, who preceded her in death on February 4, 1983. She was also preceded in death by their only son, Lance L. Lear, on July 8, 2020. Kohneita is survived by her daughter-in-law, Debra K. Lear, and granddaughter, Kayla Jean Lear (Andrew) Hendricks.

She was a 1949 graduate of Trotwood-Madison High School and was vice-president of her class. From 1950-58, she was employed by Projects Unlimited, David Wyse, owner, and Arthur Beerman of Elder-Beerman Company in Dayton, Ohio, as a personal secretary.

She and her husband began the Lear Fire Equipment Company in Saint Marys, Ohio, in 1958, and she served as President of the firm from 1983-2012.

She was a member of St. Paul United Church of Christ in New Bremen, Ohio, where she had served as Sunday School teacher, Head Deaconess, and sang in the church choir for over 40 years. She was a 50 plus-year member of Hawthorne Chapter Number 119, Order of Eastern Star in Saint Marys, serving as its Worthy Matron in 1988. She later became a member of the Spencerville Chapter when Hawthorne merged with Spencerville, and upon its closing in 2021, she affiliated with Pleiades Chapter in Sidney, having a total of more than 65 years as a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. In 1991 she served as Grand Esther of the Grand Chapter of Ohio. She was also a past member of the New Bremen Women's Club, where she served in various offices, and a member of the Ohio Child Conservation League. She was a charter member of the Red Hat Society, and the Cherry Belles of New Bremen.

Kohneita enjoyed playing cards and belonged to several card clubs. She served as President of the New Bremen Band Boosters. During her tenure she held various fundraisers and was able to purchase new band uniforms. Music was a great part of her life. She sang at many weddings, funerals, Masonic and Eastern Star events, various other churches and one year at Bremenfest.

She enjoyed solving picture puzzles, crossword puzzles and cryptoquotes.

Funeral rites will be held 11:00 A.M. Saturday, January 24, 2026, at St Paul United Church of Christ, 119 North Franklin Street, New Bremen, the Reverend David Voll, officiant. Burial will follow at German Protestant Cemetery, New Bremen.

Friends may call from 5-7 P.M. Friday at the Miller-Long and Folk Funeral Home, 314 West High Street, Saint Marys, where an Eastern Star memorial service, conducted by Pleiades Chapter 298, will be held at 6:45.

Memorial gifts may be given to either the Shriners' Hospital for Children or St. Paul United Church of Christ in New Bremen.

Memories and condolences may be shared with Kohneita's family via Millerfuneralhomes.net.