LAKE VILLA, Ill. -- Don A. Koehler, who was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's tallest man at 8-foot-2, died Wednesday at suburban Chicago home.
Koehler, 55, had been recuperating from a heart ailment, relatives said.
He retired three years ago after a 25-year career as a salesman for the Big Joe Manufacturing Co., which makes hydraulic lifts. He was former president of the Paramount Tall Club.
Koehler, a relatively slender 300-pounder described as 'a gentle giant,' enjoyed helping other tall people overcome the disadvantages of their extraordinary height.
He rejected repeated offers from firms that wanted the prestige of making items to his size. 'Don is just too nice a guy to want to take advantage of people,' his 5-foot-9 twin sister Donna Valdivia said a few years ago.
Koehler used ordinary-sized furniture except for a special eight-foot bed, explaining he believed, 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do.'
Services were pending.
