Cover photo for Charles Koch's Obituary
Charles Koch Profile Photo
1918 Charles 2011

Charles Koch

November 14, 1918 — April 11, 2011

Charles Francis Koch went to be with the Lord on April 11, 2011. He was born in Sabetha on November 14, 1918 to John and Irene (Meyer) Koch.

On October 5, 1941, he married Donna Reed in Woodlawn. He is survived by his wife, Donna; his son, John and wife, Charlene of Hutchinson, Kansas; his daughter, Joan Williams and husband, Meredith of, Highlands Ranch, Colorado; sister, Roma Gemmel of Spokane, Washington and sister, Anna Knopke of Kansas City, Missouri. Charles has four grandchildren and five great grandchildren, Charlie Koch and his wife, Pam, and their children, Noah, Nicholas and Brooklyn of Liberty, Missouri, Adam Koch of Parkville, Missouri, Jennifer (Williams) Eckert and her husband, Matt, and their children, Reid and Emma of Overland Park, Kansas and Jacob Williams of Atlanta, Georgia.
As a young man, Charles and his father owned and operated Kansas Petroleum Company in Sabetha. In 1947 they built the Koch Motel on Highway 75 in Sabetha. Charles and Donna and their family owned and operated the motel for 30 years. Charles was a member of the board and past president of the Kansas Motel Association.
Charles satisfied his love of ice cream by opening and operating a Tastie Fresh soft ice cream store.
For about 17 years, Charles served as Scout Master for Troop 77 in Sabetha with Dr. Tom Montgomery.   He was an Eagle Scout, a member of Order of the Arrow and acquired enough merit badges to have a silver palm. He watched his son become an Eagle Scout and enjoyed many campouts and trips through the years.
Charles became a Master Mason in 1945 as a member of Sabetha Lodge #162. Shortly after, he became a member of the Topeka Arab Shrine. Throughout his adult life, he was very active in Masonry including the York Rite. At the time of his death, Charles was the longest continuous member of Lodge #162.
Charles was an accomplished craftsman and enjoyed making furniture from Kansas walnut. He made beautiful wood carvings and had a talent for refurbishing antiques.
He served as a Magistrate Judge for the City of Sabetha, was on the board of Sabetha Hospital Building Committee, was an avid golfer at Sabetha Country Club and loved to hunt quail & pheasant with his friend Loren Lancaster. Charles was a lifetime member of Sabetha Congregational Church.
A service to celebrate the life of Charles Koch will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, April 15, 2011 at the Popkess Mortuary Chapel in Sabetha. A visitation will be Thursday evening 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the funeral home. The interment will be made in the Sabetha Cemetery. Memorial contribution may be made to the Sabetha Boy Scouts Troop #77 sent in care of the funeral home.

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