Joseph Peter Koch 8/28/02-11/23/55

This is Dennis' grandfather and youngest son of Joseph and Elizabeth. Joe married Katherine Dirckx (Kate) on 5/21/24. Joe worked at various jobs including bartender, roofer, farmer, restaurant cook. He is remember as not being very ambitious and was not liked very much by Katherine's family.

Joe died in Worthington, Minnesota (Nobles County) at a tuberculosis sanitorium where he had been for 4 months before his death. He was a heavy smoker and hadn't been well for many years. He is remembered as always having a box of soda handy for his indigestion.

Katherine: 5/15/05 - 11/15/37 died of liver and colon cancer at approximately age 30. She also went blind. She is buried in the Dirckx family burial plot in Ghent, Minnesota and her name on the gravestone is spelled Catherine. See the Dirckx Family entry for more information.

After Kate died, Joe was unable to care for his children and they were sent to live with other family members:
*Eloi went to Mary and Don Blake (Katherine's sister)
*Maureen and Betty went to Joseph's sister Rita Wiltgen
*Richard went to Josephine Ahlers
*Edward and *Donald went to John Koch's for a short time, then to St. Joseph's Orphanage in St. Paul, MN
*Rita went first to Josephine Ahlers for a few months, then Joe took her to Jules and Sophie Dirckx where she stayed approx. 1 year. She was then raised by Grandma Ziegler (Grandma Ziggy) in St. Paul - possibly an orphanage.

Joe lived on his brother John's farm for a time after Kate died and helped him with farm chores. John's daughter Felicia remembers that time well, and says Joe liked her and helped her with her many chores, such as cleaning out the milking machines. He also picked up a candy bar for her when he'd go to town and slip it to her when no one was looking.

All of Joseph and Elizabeth's children except Betty, who may be the lady in front, and the oldest of the grandchildren.