Robert "Bob" Koch

Robert Edward Koch, 92, of Mount Sterling, died at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday (Dec. 25, 2019) at the Heritage Manor Nursing Home in Mount Sterling. He was born January 7, 1927, in Brown County, the eldest of nine children of Raymond J. and Marie E. (Redmond) Koch. He married Betty Mae Bond on June 9, 1951, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Mount Sterling. She preceded him in death in 2010. With the exception of time spent in military service, Robert was a lifelong resident and farmer in Brown County. He was educated in the one room Myers School in Cooperstown Township and attended high school at St. Mary Academy. Robert was called to service during the Korean Conflict and deployed to Europe where he refined a boyhood radio hobby into a radio communication specialty. The majority of his service was with the U.S. Army Headquarter Battery, 44th Infantry Regiment, at Camp Roeder in Salzburg, Austria, where he was a Staff Sergeant. Mr. Koch was a devoted member of the Holy Family Catholic Church, National Nocturnal Adoration Society and the Knights of Columbus. He was a past member of the Brown County Board, Farm Bureau Board, Two Rivers Regional Council, and Timewell and Mt. Sterling American Legion Posts. Bob was forward thinking, always on the lookout for the latest technologies both in farming and life. As a progressive farmer, he sought to improve his farm’s efficiency and conserve the soil; passing on his knowledge as a long time 4-H leader. He was an avid ham radio operator (W9CJR) and a member of the ARRL Amateur Radio Association who especially enjoyed talking on his radio every Sunday morning with his old army buddies. Bob’s other hobbies including boating, skiing, and all things aviation (the sound of those engines!) he attended airshows near and far, and loved flying in vintage airplanes. There also was never a polka song that he did not like, or a Lawrence Welk show that he did not find entertaining. Bob truly enjoyed the time spent with his family. He is survived by four children: Michael (Ann) Koch of Alamo, California, Alan (Rhonda) Koch, Glen (Amy) Koch and Diane (Rick) Parker, all of Mount Sterling; one brother, Charles Koch of Mt. Sterling; three sisters, Joan Zurita of Rolling Meadows, Sister Sara Koch, of Rantoul and Rosalee (Jim) Shank of Decatur: ten grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, along with numerous nieces and nephews. He will be missed by his dear friend Dorothy Coplan who gave him so much happiness in his later years.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Donald and Maurice, two sisters, Pat Koch and Mary Ellen (Koch) Ferrill, three sisters-in-law, Marilyn Koch, Norma Koch and Joan Hagerman, three brothers-in-law, Virgil Ferrill, Victor Zurita and Howard Hagerman.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Monday December 30^th, 2019 at Holy Family Catholic Church, with burial in Mount Sterling Catholic Cemetery. Military honors will be conducted at the cemetery.  

Visitation will be from 2-6 p.m. Sunday December 29^th, 2019 at Hendricker Funeral Home

A prayer service will be said at the conclusion of the visitation on Sunday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to St. Mary School or Brown County Ambulance Service.

Condolences for the family may be left online at www.hendrickerfuneralhome.com.

The Hendricker Funeral Home in Mt. Sterling is in charge of the arrangements.

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