Alice Alta Nahrgang

Other Events:

• Name: Alice Alta Koch
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-87189
• Residence: 1962, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

KOCH, Alice A resident of People Care in Tavistock, passed away on Sunday, August 7, 2011. She was born February 1, 1913 to Menno and Amelia (Bergey) Nahrgang. She lived most of her life on the family farm in Haysville, Ontario. Beloved mother of Earl (Lucille) of New Hamburg; Harold (Grace) of Canberra, Australia; Florence (Fred) Michelin of Northwest River, Labrador; Evelyn Peterson of Winnipeg, MB; Eleanor Snyder of Kitchener; Russell (Hazel) of New Hamburg; Norman (Gwen) of Earlton; Shirley (Peter) Henley of Vineland; Kenneth (Lorrie) of New Hamburg; Allan (Julia) of Truro, Nova Scotia. She is survived by 24 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and sister-in-law Martha (Roy) Goshen, Indiana. Predeceased by her husband Lester in 1993, her parents, a sister in infancy, foster brothers Philip and Alfred Richardson, granddaughters Rebecca Koch and Lisa Thrasher, and great-granddaughter Aimee Anderson, her Koch in-laws: Stanley (Ruth), Orton (Irene), Mabel (Herbert) Kufske, Oliver (Violet), Phares (Linda), Vera (Nelson) Snyder, Gladys (Norman) Martin, Charles (Wilma), Roy. Alice was a long time member of Nith Valley Mennonite Church where she was actively involved as a Sunday School teacher, member of Women's Mission and Service Association, and church Historian. She wrote several church histories as well as her autobiography, "A Time for Memories." For 25 years, she was a volunteer supervisor of the Material Aid resources for Mennonite Central Committee (Ontario). Alice took great pleasure in making quilts for her children and grandchildren. In addition, she sewed hundreds of comforters for MCC until she was 95 years old. Visitation will be held at the Mark Jutzi Funeral Home , 291 Huron Street, New Hamburg on Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. A service to celebrate her life will be held at Nith Valley Mennonite Church on Thursday, August 11, 2011 at 11 a.m. Interment at Nith Valley Mennonite Cemetery. Donations to the Mennonite Central Committee or the Charity of your choice would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy. Online condolences and donation information available at www.markjutzifuneralhomes.ca

Waterloo Region Record 8 Aug 2011

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Heritage Awards presented to diverse group: Honouring a time of memories-
Alice Koch has been involved in many and varied activities during herlife - education, family, church, community and literary.


She was born Feb. 1, 1913, the d/o Menno and Amelia (Bergey) Nahrgang, and recently celebrated her 92nd birthday at her home on the farm on Haysville Road where she was born.

She attended Haysville Public School, SS No. 6 Wilmot, and passed her Entrance examinations at the age of 12, having completed the eight grades in 6 yrs. Her mother thought she was too young to attend high school, so kept her home for a year. For 3 yrs, starting in 1926, she attended New Hamburg Continuation School. Her fourth and last year she attended KW Collegiate, Kitchener and completed the required form five upper schoolclasses (Gr. 13) and middle school physics. Getting to the Collegiate meant walking the two miles to the train station, commuting on the regular passenger train with students from Shakespeare, New Hamburg and Baden. To return in the afternoon, she had to meet the train at 4 o'clock and ride the freight train with an old style passenger car. This was often a time-consuming ride since freight cars often had to be left atstops along the way.

Alice began attending Stratford Normal School in Sept. 1930 to prepare for a teaching career, her long time dream. (Her mother and grandfather,David Bergey had been teachers). She started teaching in 1931, first at Rosebank, SS8 Wilmot, for one year, and then for 8 yrs at Clachan, SS No.3 North Easthope. Both schools were one-room classrooms with 8 grades,and large enrollments varying from 40-50 pupils - no small challenge for a beginning teacher.

Family responsibilities would occupy the next several decades. On Aug.14, 1940 she married Lester Koch of Conestoga, a partner in Koch Brothers Butchers, in St. Jacobs and later Kitchener. On Dec. 31, 1942 they moved from the city house to the farm of her father. Life on the farm was busier than in the city, with a whole house, garden, lawn, flower beds,field work and chores. By 1956 there were 10 children as well as her father to manage (he lived until 1962 and died at the age of 95).

The education of her family was always a priority. She saw to it that each child was keeping up in school, and encouraged them to go on. It is a tribute to her that all ten of her children graduated from Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School. Most of them have pursued post-secondary education, and some graduate degrees. They are involved in education, nursing, ministry, publishing, silo-building and other agri-business.

By the fall of 1962, all the children were attending school in public, high and university. This gave Alice time to devote to church andcommunity interests. She now was able to teach an adult Sunday School class at Biehn Mennonite church, which she continued to do until she was almost 90 yrs old, help with Summer Bible School at Blenheim Church, and attend sewing circle. She served on the Women's Missionary and Service Commission Executive Committee, including several years as president.Along with Lester she attended Haysville Home and School meetings, and later became involved with the KW Home and School organization, serving several years as president. With changes in education, Haysville Public School was closed and the building purchased by the community.

In April 1976, she began working at 50 Kent Ave., Kitchener, two days a week as supervisor of the Mennonite Cutting Room. It stocked fabrics for quilts and crafts for the MCC Relief Sale held annually in New Hamburg,and various items needed for MCC projects. She was an employee until 1996 and then a volunteer doing the same work as before, until she retired in Oct. 2001.
Piecing tops from an assortment of patches and quilting is a source of challenge and satisfaction that she still enjoys. Many have been given to the Mennonite Relief Sale. She also donated items to Conrad GrebelArchives and to the Archives at Castle Kilbride.

Alice also assisted in assembling family trees for her family. Her familly and friends appreciate her contribution to their lives. In 2002 she published for their benefit, a 75 page book, 'A Time for Memories'."

New Hamburg Independent, Wed. Feb. 23, 2005

Alice married Lester S. Koch 14 Aug 1940. Lester (son of Carl R. "Charles" Koch and Minerva Swartz) was born May 1906, , Ontario, Canada; died 20 Aug 1993, Tavistock, East Zorra Twp., Oxford County, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Nith Valley Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Kenneth — Lorrie Lucille Burkhardt. (daughter of Donald Cameron Burkhardt and Ferne Lucille Cressman) [Group Sheet]

Earl — Lucille Marie Peters. [Group Sheet]

Eleanor — Stuart Ross Snyder. (son of John Willard Shirk Snyder and Magdalena "Lena" Martin) [Group Sheet]

Rachel — Henry L. "Hank" Anderson. (son of Luciano Anderson and Eleanor) [Group Sheet]

Jeffrey — Jill Semple. (daughter of Bruce Semple and Janet Lackenbauer) [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-299662

Notes:

ANDERSON, Aimée Josephine Beloved daughter of Hank and Rachel Anderson of St. Jacobs, Aimée was born on May 20, 2010 at McMaster Hospital in Hamilton. She lived for two hours and then passed from her mother's arms into the waiting arms of Jesus. Grandparents Earl and Lucille Koch of New Hamburg were privileged to hold her. She was predeceased by her grandmother Eleanor (May 20, 2003). She will be missed by her aunts, uncles and cousins. A private graveside service was held on Sunday, May 23 at 4:30 p.m. at Hillside Cemetery. As expressions of sympathy, donations to Christian Aid Ministries may be arranged through Dreisinger Funeral Home at 519-669-2207. Until we meet in heaven, our beloved. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Rev. 21:4)