MILWAUKEE —
Former U.S. Senator and Bucks owner Herb Kohl has died at age 88 following a brief illness, according to the Herb Kohl Foundation.
He ran for Senate in 1988 and served for 24 years. When he left he thanked the people of Wisconsin.
“My final thanks go to the extraordinary people of Wisconsin. Thank you for letting me pay back in part the great debt my family owes to the state that took in my immigrant mother and father and allowed our family – including my brothers Sidney and Allen and our sister Dolores – to grow and thrive. Thank you for taking a chance on me in that first election 24 years ago and renewing my contract three more times. Thank you for trusting me with your problems and concerns, your hopes and dreams.”
Kohl bought the Milwaukee Bucks in 1985, promising the team would never leave. He sold them in 2014 and donated $100 million to help in building a new arena for the community.
Below video: Herb Kohl on the Milwaukee Bucks winning the NBA title in 2021
In 1970, Herb became president of Kohl’s Corp., which eventually expanded to 50 supermarkets and several department stores.
Kohl grew up in the Sherman Park neighborhood of Milwaukee and after graduating from the University of Wisconsin, earning an MBA from Harvard and joining the Army Reserve.
His lifetime friends include Bud Selig, Steve Marcus and Frank Gimbel.
Reaction:
“A Milwaukeean and Wisconsinite through and through, U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl dedicated his life to serving our kids, our communities, our state, and our country.
“Sen. Kohl was, without a doubt, nobody’s senator but ours. Kathy and I are devastated by the news of his passing.
“Sen. Kohl was deeply committed to community, kindness, and service to others. Wisconsin’s seniors, students, teachers, and schools, and farmers and rural areas, among so many others, are better off because of his life and legacy, the impacts of which will last for generations,” Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement.
“Herb Kohl was a man of the people, who truly cared for all Wisconsinites. His footprint on our state will remain forever,” U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“A monumental loss to the state of Wisconsin. We’ll miss you Senator Kohl,” state Rep. LaKeshia Meyers posted on X.
“So sad to learn of the passing of Sen. Herb Kohl. He did so much for Wisconsin. His legacy will live on with the Kohl Center and the Fiserv Forum. He saved the Milwaukee Bucks and then insured their success for generations to come. Tonette and I send our prayers to his family,” Scott Walker posted on X.
“Just heard the News about Herb Kohl. Worked with him for 14 years. He was the best Boss anyone could have, truly cared about his Employees and always wanted to do what was best for Milwaukee. Gave EVERY Bucks Employee a Cash Bonus the Day he sold the team. Glad I knew him,” Ted Davis, former Bucks announcer, said on X.
Below video: Kohl reflects on time in Senate in Sept. 2012
