Erich Koch

Funeral services for Erich Koch will be held on Saturday, May 28th, 3:00 p.m., at the United Methodist Church in Odebolt with Pastor Kathy Spracklin officiating. Burial will be at the Odebolt Cemetery under the direction of the Farber & Otteman Funeral Home.

Visitation will be Friday, May 27th, 4:00-8:00 pm at the Farber & Otteman Funeral Home in Odebolt.

Erich John Koch, age 85, of Odebolt, Iowa, passed away Wednesday, May 25, 2005, at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake.

Erich was born on June 30, 1919, to Christian Koch and Anna (Pipgrass) Koch on a farm near Boyer in Stockholm Township, Crawford County, Iowa. He attended country school, and then did farm work until he was drafted June 23, 1941.

He served in the U.S. Army Air Force and spent one year overseas as a radio operator/gunner on a B17. After 25 successful flying missions he had reached the rank of Tech/Sergeant and was awarded the Silver Star and the Air Medal. Erich was discharged September of 1945.

On April 2, 1944, Erich married Evelyn Kullberg of rural Boyer. Two children were born to this union: Dennis and Lois. They lived in Boyer where he was self-employed and also a large machinery operator for Crawford County. The family moved to Odebolt in 1962 where Erich worked as custodian for Odebolt-Arthur School and later worked for the Sac County Mutual Telephone Company from 1968 until his retirement in 1985.
Survivors include his children and their spouses: Dennis and Sheryl Koch of Council Bluffs, IA, and Lois and Glenn Poser of Roseville, MN; four grandchildren: Christopher Koch, Carrie, Katie, and Russell Poser; great-grandson Bobby Poser; brother-in-law Lowell Bilsten; extended family members and many friends.

Erich was preceded in death by his parents; wife Evelyn; two brothers: Herbert and John; and a sister Elsie Bilsten.