Obituary of Richard Koch

Richard E. Koch ?Dick? Richard Edward Koch (Dick) died peacefully at home on Friday, November 18, 2011. Dick was born January 19, 1928 in Columbus, Ohio, the elder son of Richard L. and Margaret Welsh Koch. He was the loving husband of Mary Lou Dotson Koch for more than 60 years. He graduated from Aquinas High School, Franklin University and Capital University. He served in the U.S. Navy at the end of WWII, completing his service in 1947. He enjoyed a long career as a finance executive with North American Philips, retiring in 1988 as president of its American Color & Chemical Corp. subsidiary. After retirement, he continued as a consultant with North American Philips through 2002. He maintained a lifelong love of the Boy Scouts of America, earning the Eagle Scout Award, joining the Order of the Arrow and Tribe of Mic-O-Say, and serving as a troop leader. He was especially proud that all 4 of his sons also became Eagle Scouts. In addition to his wife Mary Lou, Dick is survived by his 3 daughters, Catherine (David) Schildknecht of Cincinnati OH, Anne Hawkins of St. Joseph MO, and Jeanne (John) Evans of Charlotte; 4 sons, Richard M. (Cindy) Koch of Concord NC, James Koch of Washington DC, Thomas Koch of Bend OR, and Lt. Col. John (Barbara) Koch of Vicenza, Italy; his brother Robert J. (Dell) Koch of Buckeye Lake OH; 17 grandchildren: Calvin (Melissa), Grace, William and Peter Schildknecht; Ford, Porter and Baylor Koch; Catherine (Dustin) Barr; Amber Hawkins; Joshua (Lindsey) and Brian Koch; John Grainger; Johnny (Bill Robinson) and Tate (Caleigh) Evans; Chase and Wells Koch; and Michael Koch; his great-grandson Jackson Koch; 4 sisters-in-law: Betty Dotson of Columbus OH, Audrey Moore of Grove City OH, Bess Dotson of Springfield OH, and Marla Dotson of Vista CA; many nieces and nephews; and his beloved Labrador Liesl. A memorial service will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, November 25, 2011 in the Chapel of Hankins & Whittington Funeral Home, 1111 East Blvd., Charlotte NC. There will be a viewing for family and friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to The Humane Society of Charlotte, 2700 Toomey Avenue, Charlotte NC 28203; or to The Richard E. and Mary Dotson Koch Endowed Scholarship in Manufacturing and Environmental Engineering at the Missouri University of Science & Technology, 1 Miner Circle, Rolla MO 65401.