Geraldine Koch

On the morning of April 24, 2026, at the age of 100, our precious mother, grandma, and Gigi, Geraldine Koch, closed her eyes one last time and opened them again in the presence of Jesus - her Friend, her Comforter, and her Savior. Born on June 29, 1925, in the small town of Arbyrd, Missouri, Geraldine “Gerri” Tarrant and her twin brother, Donald Gene, were welcomed into the world by parents Victor Claude and Ida Mae Tarrant. Gerri was among the youngest of a lively blended family of 20 children! The family soon moved north to Michigan, where many of her earliest memories took place - including a particularly unique one she loved to share: telling her twin, “Come on, Nonny, let’s go bite buttons!” The two would sneak into closets and nibble buttons right off the hanging clothes. She and several of her young siblings lived in a children’s home for about a year while their mother recovered from tuberculosis. She has fond memories of that time, though she often got in trouble for climbing trees to eat the green apples, refusing to wear her itchy wool stockings, dumping her rhubarb sauce in the table drawers, and calling the matron an “old crabpatch”. Gerri’s fun-loving and mischievous nature was evident from an early age and she had many other entertaining stories to prove it! Gerri contributed to the WWII war effort as a factory worker, and married the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Paul Koch, when he returned from serving abroad in the Army Air Force in 1945. The couple went on to have seven children, and Gerri’s love for her family was evident in the little things - the homemade cinnamon rolls warm and ready for an after-school treat, the hand-sewn clothes, the games of hide-and-seek and badminton she played with her kids after supper, and Sunday dinner as a family after church. As her family grew to include sons- and daughters-in-law and grandchildren, she welcomed each new addition with joy and deep love. Gerri faced many hardships and heartaches in her life. In 1977, shortly after they moved to Phoenix AZ, her husband and best friend Bob passed away. In the years since, she also said goodbye to her three oldest children. She faced each loss with grace and resilience even through her great sorrow, drawing strength and comfort in her knowledge of God’s love and mercy. What joy she must be experiencing now, as she has been reunited with them all at last! In her 50’s, Gerri started a career in retail sales, and transferred from Phoenix to Fort Collins, CO. She retired in her 70’s, but she didn’t stop there! She continued to work well into her 80’s as a bread baker for a local restaurant and a friendly cashier at a neighborhood grocery store. Always a talented seamstress, she learned to quilt, and over the years created dozens of beautiful heirloom quilts. She could often be spotted walking the trails and paths around town, and she loved getting together with friends and family to play cards, share a meal, or study the Bible. She was a faithful member of Meadowlark Church of Christ. Gerri was known and loved by so many in the community! Gerri is survived by her children Brad, Cindy (Rusty), Valerie (Steven), and Julie (David), and 25 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren, and 7 great-great-grandchildren, all of whom love her dearly and will miss her every single day. She was preceded in death by her husband Bob, daughter Geri, and sons Bob Jr and Rod. Precious Mama - how we miss you. You blessed our lives with your love, your smile, your wit, your strength, and your faith. How can we thank you for the sacrifices you made for us, the joy you brought us, and the lessons you taught us by your example of a life so well lived? We can only say this: we love you so very much. We love you, and we can’t wait to see you again.

Geraldine Koch

June 29, 1925 - April 24, 2026