Mary Lee Koch, 68, of Hartington, Nebraska died on Monday, March 11, 2024 at Avera Majestic Bluffs Hospice House in Yankton, South Dakota.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 14 at Holy Family (Ss. Peter & Paul) Catholic Church in Bow Valley with the Rev. Eric Olsen officiating. Burial will be at Ss. Peter & Paul Cemetery in Bow Valley. Visitation will be on Wednesday, at church, from 5-8 p.m. with a Vigil Service at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will continue on Thursday one hour prior to services.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Hartington.
Mary Lee was born Jan. 27, 1956 in Yankton, South Dakota to John Anthony and Rose Theresa (Uhing) Thoene Jr. She grew up in Bow Valley and attended elementary school there. Mary Lee graduated from Hartington Cedar Catholic High School in 1974. She married Randy Joe Koch on May 31, 1975 at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Bow Valley. She did daycare in her home, worked for Gurney’s Seed and Nursery in Yankton, Bow Valley SID, and Hydraulics Components in Hartington before finally working as the secretary for her husband’s and Bruce Wieseler’s business - R&B LandTiling until she retired in 2020.
Mary Lee was the church sacristan at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, after her mother Rose handed her those duties. She was devoted to that position from the early 2000’s on. She was devoted to the Eucharist and was an EMHC. She held an hour of adoration at church for many years, and often took additional hours if people weren’t able to attend. She was a member of the church choir since 1973, the Council of Catholic Women where she held numerous officer positions, and taught CCD. Mary Lee was also involved in JC Camp at Tintern Retreat Center. She loved the outdoors and her flowers, gardening, cardinals and birds of many kinds. Mary Lee loved her strawberries, travelling to Alaska, and taking care of people. Her grandchildren and family were one of the most important things in her life. She had a very strong bond with her sisters and often would speak German while with them.
Survivors include her husband, Randy, of Bow Valley; four children and spouses Tina (Craig) Sharpe of Wayne, Jody (Chrys) Koch of Hartington, Jesse (Dawn) Koch of Bow Valley, Mandy (Marcus) Papenhausen of Coleridge; 15 grandchildren – Drew, Addison and Graham Sharpe; Kotner, Kasen, Kreyton, Kesley, Kyra and Kreston Koch; Lucas Thingstad, Kameron and Macie Koch; Dawsyn, Kyler and Brooks Papenhausen; eight siblings, Darlene Lucas of Yankton, South Dakota, Diana (Larry) Wiehn of Lincoln, Carol (Allen) Lammers of Hartington, Anthony (Carol) Thoene of Bow Valley, Karen Leise of Bow Valley, Danni (Karen) Thoene of Hartington, Sylvan (Leane) Thoene of Hartington, Kathy (Mark) Jackson of Bow Valley; sister-in-law Claudette (Doug) Sternhagen of Hartington; numerous family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Rose Thoene Jr.; a brother, Dave Thoene, brothers-in-law Lloyd Lucas and Denis Leise; nephews Eric and Jarod Thoene; parents-in-law, Erwin and Mildred Koch.
Pallbearers will be nephews Kasen Koch, Lucas Thingstad, Drew Sharpe; her “God Children” Tommy Carson, Audi Campbell, Craig Jackson, Jimmy Thoene, and Casey Koch. Honorary pallbearers will be Jerry and Jenny Promes, Chuck and Paula Burbach, and Lorraine (Keevin) Pinkelman.
