He was born January 15, 1924, in Crystal Lake to William and Meta (Geske) Koch. On April 26, 1947, he married Gloria Ekelund at Bethany Lutheran Church in Crystal Lake.
He was a veteran of the United States Army, having served in the South Pacific during WWII.
He was a lifelong resident of Crystal Lake, attended Immanuel Lutheran School and Crystal Lake Community High School, and was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church. He was a bricklayer by trade and worked on many of the buildings in the area including, Bethany Lutheran Church, North Middle School (now Richard Bernotas Middle School), South High School and Querhammer & Flagg Funeral Home.
He was a councilman for the City of Crystal Lake in the 1960s and a member of the American Legion.
He also enjoyed wood working and gardening. He was a loving father and grandfather.
He is survived by his children, Cheryl (Vincent) Smyth of Cary and Gary (Marilyn) Koch of Crystal Lake; his grandchildren, Tyler and Kara Smyth, and Matt Koch; and his sister, Lucille (the late Delmer) Heidenreich.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Gloria; his parents; and his brother, Willard.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 pm on Friday, March 25, at Querhammer & Flagg Funeral Home, 500 W. Terra Cotta Ave., Crystal Lake. Visitation will continue from 10am to the 11am funeral service on Saturday, March 26, at the funeral home.
Interment will be in Crystal Lake Memorial Park.
Memorials may be made to Bethany Lutheran Church, 76 W. Crystal Lake Ave., Crystal Lake, IL 60014, or to Hospice of Northeastern Illinois, 405 Lake Zurich Rd., Barrington, IL 60010.
For information call the funeral home at 815-459-1760. Online condolences may be made at www.querhammerandflagg.com.
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