Pauline Koch, age 94, passed away at her home May 16, 2020. She was the fourth child born to George & Elsie Bunny Ireland on August 24, 1925, in Alma, Nebraska. Like many Nebraskan families, the Midwest dust bowl days forced George and Elsie to auction off their belongings. They then load the bare necessities into a Model T Ford and headed for Idaho. They arrived in Star, Idaho which became their home. Pauline graduated from Star High School. She worked for one year at Hadley Implement & Hardware in Star as Arthur Hadley's secretary, while she saved tuition money to attend Pacific College. During college she met her future husband, Glenn Koch. They announced their engagement their senior year while on a college choir tour in Southern California. Pauline was elected student-body secretary and graduated college in 1948, valedictorian of her class. Pauline and Glenn were married in the Star Friends Church, August 20, 1948. For the first five years of their marriage they both worked at the family's Pautorium Cleaners & Laundry in Caldwell, Idaho. Their first son Jon was born in 1952. From that time on Pauline became the "stay at home mom" she always planned to be. She was mother supreme, housewife, disciplinarian to three "boys who will be boys", and finally, to the girl she always longed to have. Along with being a full time mom she was a veteran Canyon County 4H Leader for 14 years. The kids in her club excelled at the Canyon County Fair and even to the Idaho State Fair in Boise. Jesus, her Lord and Savior, church, Sunday school teacher, Bible school and church youth camps were most important in the raising of her children. All four graduated from Christian grade and high schools, 3 graduated with college degrees and one with a PHD degree. When the kids were teenagers Pauline would tell the story of how she would often cooking four meals a day. One winter the Koch kids ate through one whole beef, 100lbs of rice and four sacks of potatoes! Pauline was an excellent cook even though she disliked cooking. All four children were involved in sports. Their mother attended 100's of sporting events over the years - never missing an event. Glenn and Pauline were married 72 years. The family planned a 70th wedding anniversary party at the Freezeout Rd "farm." Plans were quickly changed on short notice when Pauline suffered a massive paralyzing stroke. St Alphonsus Hospital in Boise graciously allowed the party to be held in their beautiful 4th floor cafeteria where over 100 people quickly changed plans and drove to Boise to attend the gala celebration. The family is so appreciative of the dedicated care and attention provided by her doctors, nurses, Hospice, Home Helpers and their caregivers who gave so affectionately for the past 17 months. Due to the Coronavirus a private interment will be held at the Middleton Cemetery for this remarkable, tough loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Suggested memorials to Greenleaf Friend's Academy, 20365 Academy Rd, Greenleaf, Idaho 83626, or Quaker Hill Conference, Box 1181, McCall, Idaho 83638. Arrangements by Zeyer Funeral Chapel, Nampa. 208-467-7300 Condolences may be expressed at ZeyerFuneralChapel.com.
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