Jeanne Koch

Funeral service will be 10 am Saturday, August 17, 2019 at the Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora with Pastor Clyde Harvey officiating. A visitation will be held from 4-6 pm Friday at the funeral home and will continue one hour prior to the service. Inurnment Forest Hill Cemetery in Aurora at a later date. Jeanne D. Koch, 71, of Aurora passed away Wednesday, August 14th at Essentia Health – St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth, MN with her children by her side, she will be forever missed. She was born April 9, 1948 in Grand Rapids, MN to Steve and Mary Prebeck.  She was raised in Goodland, MN.  She graduated from Nashwauk High School in 1966.  In 1968 she met and married William Koch of Bronx, NY.  Shortly after their marriage, she moved with William where the United States Navy sent them.  Pensacola, Florida, and Norfolk, Virginia.  She was a dedicated Navy wife raising two children while William was deployed at sea.  In 1979, she and William moved to Aurora, MN.  She worked at Woolworth, Kmart, and Walmart, her favorite work place was the Short Stop in Biwabik.  During her life, she enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, sitting by the fire pit, spending time with family, and loved riding her four wheeler.  She and William taught country line and couples dancing for many people in the surrounding area.  She also DJ’d for several years.  She was a successful local musician with a beautiful and amazing singing voice. She was a charter member and longtime performer in the Range Country Show in Palo, MN.  In the 80’s, she won many awards for her singing.  She won a trip to Nashville, was Champion of Champions, and Reserve Miss Minnesota Country Music from competing in the Wrangler Country Showdown.  She and her singing partner, Shorty Powers also sang on the local radio station back in the day.  She was always full of fun and life and laughter.   Most everyone will always remember her laugh as it filled a room. Survivors include her children, Richard Koch of Andover, MN and Mary (Shon) Thompson of Aurora, MN; her beloved granddaughter, Molly; siblings Robert (Sandy) Prebeck of Grand Rapids, MN, Becky (Bobby) Sahr of Aurora, and Dan Wiswell of Aurora, sisters-in-law: Nancy Prebeck of Warba, Rossa (Art) Weins, Ida Henry, and Emma Dykes, all of Mississippi, Eleanor (Tony) Gearlds of California; many nieces and nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her best friend and Husband, William F. Koch; mother, Mary (Kenjalo) Wiswell; father, Steve Prebeck; brother, Steven Prebeck, brothers-in-law: Karl Koch, Frank Koch, and Robert Koch.