Sr. Kathleen Koch, IHM, 82, died Thursday, Oct. 10, at her home, the IHM Senior Living Community. She was recently admitted to hospice care.
On Jan. 25, 1937, in Akron, Ohio, Kathleen Cecilia Koch was born to John and Catherine Cecilia (Horvat) Koch. Another daughter and three sons would join the family life, first in Akron and later in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Kathleen attended Krouse, Lane and St. Mary elementary schools and graduated from St. Mary High School. It was at St. Mary that she came to know the IHM Sisters. Shortly after graduation in 1954, she entered the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Monroe) and received the religious name Sister Ann Marguerite.
Sister Kathleen earned a bachelor’s degree from Marygrove College and began a teaching ministry in elementary education in Michigan at: Gesu, Epiphany, Queen of Hope and St. Mary of Redford, Detroit; and St. John, Fenton. In 1970, she earned a Master of Education degree from Marygrove College and spent the next five years in parish/pastoral ministry at St. Boniface, Our Lady Queen of Hope, St. Christopher and St Mary of Redford, Detroit.
Sister Kathleen began graduate studies and earned a master’s degree in social work from Wayne State University and was licensed by the State of Michigan. With her education and experience, she ministered as a social worker for many years at St. Hugo of the Hills Grade School, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
She served her religious community as an administrative team member for the Motherhouse Resident Community from 1994 to 2002, when the Monroe community experienced the largest green building project in Michigan with the Motherhouse renovation. Sister Kathleen returned to St. Hugo as a counselor in 2002 and resided in Birmingham.
Sister Kathleen moved to the Motherhouse in 2015. She was an active participant in the resident community, serving on internal committees to improve the resident experience, social justice endeavors and always ready to engage in discussion of current events.
Sister Kathleen is survived by her brothers, John Koch of New York, and Joseph (Joannie) Koch of Hawaii, nephews and nieces, and her sisters in community. Her sister Marguerite and brother E. Kenneth Koch preceded her.
Visitation will be held at the IHM Motherhouse Chapel, 610 W. Elm Avenue, Monroe on Wednesday, Oct. 23, beginning at 9 a.m. A Remembering and Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in St. Mary Cemetery on the Motherhouse Campus. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Rupp Funeral Home, Monroe. Memorials may be made to the IHM Retirement Fund, 610 W. Elm Ave., Monroe, MI 48162-7909.
