Carl Walter “Walt” Koch

Carl Walter “Walt” Koch, 95, died on April 2. Walt was born on May 6, 1920, in Ritzville, to Johann Friedrich “Fred” Koch and Sussanna “Susan” Yukert Koch.

Walt met his future wife, who lived in Spokane, through a close buddy and was immediately smitten. After a short courtship he married Lenora M. Bishop on June 15, 1941.

Walt was employed for two years as an auto mechanic for the Oldsmobile dealership in Ritzville and also worked for the Ritzville Public School as a bus driver and mechanic from 1939 until he entered the Army in 1944 during World War II.

As one of Patton’s men, on the route of the march through Germany, Walt was honored to drive military dignitaries to each new town they entered and served as the Army spokesperson when they met with city officials, as he was fluent in German.

After the war, Walt eventually accepted a position as a ranch hand where he worked for 30 years for Herman and later Wayne Klindworth in rural Connell.

After retiring in 1982, Walt and Lenora lived in the beautiful log home he had spent many years building while on vacation and weekends, near Loon Lake. Walt had his own little saw mill, cut trees from their 80 acres of timber and made his own lumber and logs to build their home. It was truly a labor of love.

They later sold their land and log home and over the remaining years they resided in Spokane; Apache Junction, Arizona; Loon Lake; Kennewick; Basin City and at the end of his life Walt was residing with his youngest daughter Polly in rural Connell.

Walt was a devoted husband and father. You could count on him like clockwork and if he was not at work, he was home with his family.

Walt was a man of few words and was never one to sit still for long. A man of many talents, there was absolutely nothing Walt could not do. He was always tinkering on vehicles or repairing or building something.

Walt loved Cadillacs and when he bought his first used Caddy, he was on cloud nine.

Walt was a selfless man and never hesitated to help a friend, relative or stranger in need. He was known to all as a kind and gentle man and he never had an unkind word to say about anyone, ever. He was such a wonderful example for his children and grandchildren.

Walt loved to read and watch the news in the evenings and enjoyed a big bowl of ice cream.

Macular degeneration eventually robbed Walt of his eyesight, but he still amazed us with all he was able to do even though legally blind. He listened to audio books daily during the last few years of his life and never complained about anything. He was an easy keeper.

Walt was fond of the family pets they had through the years and missed them when they passed on. When asked what his favorite dog was, he said how much he liked their first Miniature Pinscher.

He loved the companionship of an animal that would sit on his lap and keep him company and he was equally fond of the family cats.

Walt was preceded in death by his wife, Lenora; parents Fred and Susan Koch; sisters Sarah Charvat, Olga Mailey, Geraldine “Gerry” Hagadone and Thelma Sprenger; brothers Lawrence Koch, Rudolph Koch, Berthold Koch and Reuben Koch.

Walt is survived by one sister, Nathalia “Dolly” Vanderford, Yakima; daughters Carole (Bill) Topor and Beverley “BJ” Horseman, Spokane; Laurel (Laurence) McCall, Pasco; Pauline “Polly” (Larry) Turner, Connell and son Timothy (Mary) Koch, Scottsdale, Arizona; 21 grandchildren and 46 great grandchildren.

A joint memorial service for Walt and Lenora will be held later this summer in Ritzville.

Friends and family are invited to contact the family by email at [email protected] or via mail at P.O. Box 26, Connell, Washington 99326.