Jeanette Mary Koch

Jeanette Mary Koch, 96 years old, of Remsen, passed away surrounded by her children Friday, October 8, 2021.  

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Remsen, IA with Father Timothy Pick officiating, Father Terry Roder concelebrating and Deacon Doug Heeren assisting.  Burial will follow at the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Remsen.  Visitation with family present will be 4-7 p.m. Monday, there will be a parish rosary and vigil prayer service at 5 p.m. all at Fisch Funeral Home & Monument in Remsen.  Visitation will resume 1 hour prior to the funeral on Tuesday at the funeral home.  Services have been entrusted to the Fisch Funeral Home & Monument in Remsen.  The funeral will be available to watch later that day and online condolences may be sent to www.fischfh.com 

Jeanette was born on June 17, 1925, in Le Mars, Iowa the daughter of Henry & Regina (Dahloff) Ortmann. She was raised on a farm south of Remsen and was educated at St. Mary’s Grade School and High School graduating in 1942. She attended and graduated from Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa and then taught elementary school in Danbury, Iowa from 1944-1948. 

On August 17, 1948 she married Melvin Koch at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Remsen. The couple made their home south of Remsen where they farmed the Koch family farm. They retired in 1985 and moved into Remsen in 1992.   Melvin and Jeanette moved to Bavarian Meadows Assisted Living in February of 2010.  Melvin passed away December 8, 2011 and Jeanette continued to live in Remsen at Bavarian Meadows Assisted Living until February 2020 when she moved to Westwood Specialty Care in Sioux City to be close to her children.   

Jeanette was a kind and gentle woman. Her family was the joy of her life along with her strong Roman Catholic faith.  She enjoyed cooking – preparing amazing meals for her family, quilting, and over the years she did a lot of volunteer work for St. Mary’s and also at Happy Siesta Health Care Center in Remsen.  Jeanette was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Remsen, Christian Mothers and Guild, Catholic Daughters of America, and St. Mary’s Missionary Association.  She also was a member of the Jolly Bidders card club. She will be remembered by many as a generous host, who took great joy in welcoming family and friends to her home. Her Catholic faith was the source of strength and comfort through to the end. Family and visitors could always count on her wisdom, wit and tender heart. 

Survivors include her children: Gene Koch and his wife Diane of West Des Moines, IA, Paula (Koch) Roder and her husband Marvin of Sioux City, IA, Joanne (Koch) Jahn and her husband Dave of Sioux City, IA, David Koch and his wife Lori of Elkhorn, NE, Mary (Koch) Klein and her husband Tom of Waukee, IA, Jim Koch and his wife Stephanie of Lake Ozark, MO.  18 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.   

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and friend, Jeanette was preceded in death by: her husband, her parents, a son in infancy, brothers: Joseph Ortmann, Donald Ortmann, Rev. William Ortmann, and Dr. Louis Ortmann, sister-in-laws: Charlotte Koch, Minnie (Koch) Schmitt, Eileen Ortmann, Sandra Ortmann, and brother-in-law: Alfred Schmitt. 

Jeanette is survived by her sister-in-law Betsy Ortmann of Festus, MO.  

Casket Bearers will be her grandsons: Steve Roder, Mike Koch, Dan Koch, Jeff Roder, Andrew Koch, Zachary Koch, Mitchell Klein, and Hunter Koch   

A special thank you to the staff at Bavarian Meadows and Westwood Specialty Care, you meant so much to Jeanette and the family.  

Memorial contributions can be made to St. Mary Catholic Church and St. Mary’s Catholic Schools, Remsen. Please mail to St. Mary’s, 121 E 4th Street, Remsen, IA 51050.