Age: 82 years, 11 months, 23 days

LOUISE KOCH
(nee FICK)

DOB: March 1, 1859
Du Page, IL USA

DOD: February 4, 1942
at home, Beecher, IL USA

Daughter of John & Ann (Sauer) Fick
Sister to: Fred (Agnes Vorkaufer), Minna, Heinrich (Emma Heldt), Emma (Fred Kirchhoff) and William Fick

Wife of Emil Koch Sr., married July 12, 1883 at St. John’s UCC Church.
Mother to: William G (Louisa Bodenvias), Emil Jr. (Louise Hussman) and Henry (Erna Schweer) Koch

July 20, 1933  – Beecher Herald

KOCHS, SR., OBSERVE GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY

On last Wednesday, July 12, a well-planned successful surprise was tendered Mr. and Mrs. Emil Koch, Sr., highly esteemed couple of this community. The children, gratefully mindful of possessing heaven’s gift in their parents, lovingly planned and arranged to link this memorable day with the unforgotten day of 50 years ago.

Desiring to make it a surprise, about 85 immediate relatives and friends gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kirchhoff at 2:30 p.m., Mrs. Kirchhoff being an only sister of Mrs. Koch – and from there marched over to the home of the unsuspecting and fully unprepared couple.

Following the happy expressions of greetings and congratulations, all motored to the Community Hall, where later, in the basement, beautifully decorated for the occasion, a tasty luncheon was served to the happy celebrants. Rev, G. Horst, serving as toast-master, first read numerous congratulatory cards which during the day had been spirited away from the post office, and then called on various relatives and friends for a word of greeting and felicitation, all responding readily in giving due honor to the worthy groom and bride in their midst. Following an address by the Rev. G. Horst who, basing his words on Isaiah 45, V.4 brought out the loving kindness shown the aged couple throughout the years of their married life, a fine basket containing a beautiful bouquet of yellow tea roses, as a combined gift of the St. Lucas Ladies Aid and Sewing Circle, in both of which organizations Mrs. Koch holds active membership, was presented to the couple by the respective secretaries of said organizations. Rev. J.H. Koenig, father of Mrs. Horst, in well chosen words concluded the happy hour at the festive board.

Since everyone loves a bride and tolerates a groom, an additional surprise was tendered the couple later in the day by the appearance of the so-called “Hungry Five” a misnomer, unless it means musical hunger for more opportunities to display their extraordinary talents, who together with their leader, R. Wegert, rendered pleasing and suitable selections. With the lengthening shadows of evening enfolding the day the invited guests bid farewell to the honored couple in wishing them many happy returns of the day.

March 5, 1942 – Beecher Herald

PIONEER RESIDENT IS LAID AT REST TODAY

Mrs. Emil Koch Sr., passed away at 6 a.m., Tuesday, at the Koch residence on Gould Street. The deceased a pioneer resident of Beecher, had attained the age of 82 years. Since the death of her husband, some two years ago. Mrs. Koch had been in failing health and more or less an invalid.

Funeral services, (Thursday), at 1:30 o’clock at the Hack Funeral Home and 1:45 o’clock in St. Luke’s Ev. and Reformed Church, Rev. G. Horst officiating. Interment will be in the Mausoleum.

OBITUARY

Mrs. Emil Koch, Sr., one of the best known and highly esteemed residents of Beecher, was called to eternal rest, Tuesday morning, at 6 a.m., February 24th. She was born March 1, 1859, the child of Mr. and Mrs. John Fick, both deceased, and being baptized in early infancy, she was later, following a course of thorough religious instruction, confirmed with others, March 17, 1872, in St. John’s Church, east of Beecher, by the late Rev. F.G. Reinicke.

On July 12, 1883, she was married to Mr. Emil Koch, the ceremony taking place in St. John’s Ev. and Reformed Church, with the late Rev. G Koch officiating. This happy union was blessed with three sons and of whom, William, preceded the parents in death on September 16, 1933. The surviving sons, who deeply mourn the passing of one of the finest mothers, are Emil, Beecher, and Henry, Chicago Heights. Immediately after their marriage the young couple made Beecher their home.

Here in Beecher and surrounding territory, the young husband soon became known as one of the outstanding carpenters, plying this trade for 22 years. He, in 1905, established and successfully operated the so-called Koch’s Hardware Store.

In 1933 the grateful children secretly so planned in that time was taken out in their busy life for the celebration of their Golden Wedding Anniversary, an event that filled their hearts with deep lasting happiness. Seven years later, on March 29, 1940, this happy union of two loving kindred souls was dissolved by the death of the husband. Since that time the departed, suffering more or less from amnesia, made and found her home with her children, Emil Koch Jr.  Needing ever watchful attention and constant care which only those know who so faithfully took care of her, which care she gratefully appreciated and often gratefully spoke of, she just gradually, under the burden of years grew weaker and weaker until as mentioned above, she peacefully closed her eyes in death at the ripe age of 82 years, 11 months and 23 days.

She leaves to mourn; her two sons already mentioned; two daughters-in-law; 3 grandchildren, Gilbert Koch, Evelyn Koch (Mrs. Vance Gerringer),  and Dorothy Koch, one sister, Mrs. Fred Kirchhoff, Beecher, and a large host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held Thursday, February 26, beginning at 1:30 p.m., at the Hack Funeral Home and continued at St. Luke’s Church, where her pastor, Rev. G. Horst, spoke in both the English and German languages to a very fine gathering of relatives and friends. A duet of sisters, Mrs. Erwin Albers and Mrs. Herman Seitz, rendered there appropriate songs. Beautifully arranged floral pieces testified of the high esteem in which mother Koch was held by all whose privilege it was to know her. She found her last earthly resting place in the Beecher Mausoleum.

It can be truly said of the departed that as loving wife, mother, neighbor and friend, she did all she could. As Tabitha or Dorcas, her life was full of good works and also deeds which she did. Blest with a true motherly heart she always felt and followed the urge of mothering all who needed help and care, and thus many whose hearts and homes she gladdened and brightened will always remember her as Mother Koch. Deeply religious, ever true and faithful in the essential abiding things in life, she as a charter member of both the St. Luke’s Women’s Guild, which presidency she held for a number of years and the St. Luke’s Women’s Guild Auxiliary, did willingly and gladly all that could be asked of her. Next to the home which always meant so much to her she loved the church, her Master’s Bride, and would seldom miss a service. Thus, having done all she could with no shadow resting upon her life, striving always to be found worthy in the eyes of God and fellow pilgrims, we may well think of her as fully realizing what the love of God has prepared for her and us. In saying fond farewell, we add a hopeful – ‘Auf wiedersehen’ in the realms above.

Louise’s family members also resting in the mausoleum are:

Husband: Emil Koch Sr.

Other, more distant family include: Bahlman, Batterman, Bergmeier, Beseke, Bielfeldt, Bohl, Cloidt, Dunlap, Engleking,  Fenske, Fick, Fiene, Freerking, Frobose, Graham, Guritz, Hack, Hager, Haltenhof , Heine, Heldt, Hildeman, Hinze, Hoffman, Hoppensteadt, Horn, Hunte, Kaczynski, Kappe, Kilborn,  Kirchhoff,  Klocksieben, Langreder, Leder, Maass, Matthias, Mc Carty, Meyer, Monk, Niedert, Ohlendorf, Pansa, Peters, Pralle, Riley, Ristenpart, Rohe, Rust, Saller, Selk, Struve, Thielman, Vagt, Von Engeln, Wegert, Wehmhoefer, Wiechen, Westphal, Wilkening,