Leah Marie (Nielsen) Koehne was born on June 17, 1981 in Mankato, Minnesota and passed away on August 11, 2023 of an acute asthma attack in Denmark while on holiday with her family.

Leah is survived by her husband Kai Gernot Koehne, son Lukas Nils, and daughter Nora Grace of Stuhr-Moordeich, Germany.

She is also survived in the United States by parents Jeff and Brenda Nielsen of New Ulm, Minnesota; brother Peter Nielsen and nephew Carson Nielsen of Granite Falls, Minnesota; grandmother Inez Mathson of Thief River Falls, Minnesota; uncle Bruce(Shelly) Mathson also of Thief River Falls; uncle Brian Mathson of Carlos, Minnesota; aunt Chris (Bruce) Carter of Carlos, Minnesota; aunt Mary Plath(Tim Donakowski) of Shoreview, Minnesota; Ann(Mike) Degrood of Fairbault, Minnesota; and many cousins.

Leah is survived in Germany by father-in-law Hans Hermann(Ava) Koehne of Feuchtwagen, Germany; and mother-in-law Lena Tapkin of Bremen, Germany.

She was preceded in death by her maternal grandfather, Clayton Mathson; her paternal grandparents Don and Arlene Nielsen, and uncles David Plath and Clair Mathson.

Several who knew her referred to Leah as one of a kind. She was an adventurous, confident, strong, and kind young woman. She grew up and attended New Ulm Public Schools graduating in 1999. She was active in many vocal music activities including Pops Choir, Payne Street Singers, Concert choir, musicals and Our Saviors Church choir. Her special love was being a member of New Ulm’s youth folk group, Menagerie. She was active in dance, swimming with New Ulm Swim Club, and high school golf team. Her athletic claim to fame was being the first member of the NU Swim Club to complete the mile lake swim at Lake Carlos.

She was curious about other cultures, enjoying language academics, and had a knack for learning languages. She spoke Spanish, albeit rusty, and German fluently.

Leah had many good friends and loved her relationships with U.S. friends as well as friends from other countries. She spent her first year after high school as an AFS exchange student in Bremen, Germany. There she learned the German language fluently and met the love of her life, Kai Koehne.

After her year abroad she returned to Minnesota and attended the University of Minnesota Duluth graduating summa cum laude in international studies and German in 2004.

She worked as a nanny and in the banking business in Minnesota after college graduation until October 22, 2005 when she married Kai at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in New Ulm. They made their home in Bremen until Lukas was born in 2011 when they moved to Stuhr-Moordeich. Nora was born in 2015.

Leah’s strong language skills served her well in her employment career as a English tutor and then a translator of insurance claims from German to English over the past 15 years.

Her smile lit up a room. She fiercely loved her family and friends and was a lioness in caring for her family.

Missing this young vibrant woman who had recently battled and winning her fight with breast cancer over the last 18 months is an understatement.

Leah will be buried at a private service in Stuhr-Moordeich and interned in the cemetery across the street from her family home. It was a favorite place she often went to find quiet, a place to walk, and to reflect.

A memorial celebration of her life will occur at a later date this fall in New Ulm. Memorials can be directed to B the Light Supporting Survivors of Breast Cancer 15 South Minnesota Street New Ulm connect@bthelightinfo.org or to the donors choice.