Dr. Colette M. Kohler spent her life defying the odds. She entered medical school at University of Texas at Galveston a year early, becoming the second youngest member of her class and one of six women in a class of 167. After graduating in 1955, Dr. Kohler began practicing general pediatrics in San Antonio. Having encountered several infants with serious heart defects in her practice, she became motivated to help these children. She completed a fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston in 1966.
Returning home to San Antonio, she joined the founding faculty at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the medical staff at Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital (now The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio), becoming one of the city’s first pediatric cardiologists.
“Under the guidance of Dr. Kohler, pediatric heart surgery was made possible in San Antonio,” Dr. Richard Wayne said of his friend and former colleague. “She was an incredible pioneer in this city, and she always acted as an advocate for her patients.”
As a young girl, Dr. Kohler said she dreamed of becoming a teacher. Although she later decided to pursue a career in medicine, Dr. Kohler spent a majority of her time teaching and training surgeons as well as other medical professionals.
“She was a vibrant woman, an excellent physician, and a great instructor,” Sister Michele O’Brien, CCVI, said. “When she performed a procedure in the cardiac catheterization lab, the radiology reading room would be packed with doctors waiting to hear her explain the diagnosis on the heart catheterization films and how the surgeons could best go about the surgery. She was doing things that had not been done before. As a strong woman of faith, she valued the ethics of her practice, not just the medicine.”
Dr. Kohler continued to serve The Children’s Hospital until her retirement in 1984. After her retirement, she remained active on The Children’s Hospital Foundation Board of Directors, doing all she could to continue to provide hope and healing for children.
Dr. Kohler passed away at the age of 84 in June 2015. In her will, she specified that a portion of her assets were to be distributed to The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. Dr. Kohler’s gift totaled to more than $440,000. Her legacy continues to make an incredible impact and saves lives every day through the Collette M. Kohler, M.D. Endowed Fund.
To learn more about estate gift planning, contact The Children’s Foundation office at 210.704.2800 or e-mail ChildrensFoundation@ChristusHealth.org. You may also visit the gift planning section of our website here.
CHRISTUS Children's Foundation 
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