Bruce "Bud" Harlan Koch

Bud Koch Dies Sunday

Bruce "Bud" Kich, well known in the Lusk and Harrison communities, died here Sunday. Rosary was Tuesay evening at Peet Mortuary Chapel and Mass for Christian Burial was this Wednesday morning at St. Leo's Catholic Church.

For further details and the obituary please refer to the Harrison section of this edition.

The Harrison Sun
August 31, 1978
Bruce Koch dies in Lusk

Bruce Koch died early Sunday morning at the Hospitality House in Lusk after a lingering illness as a cancer patient.

Maxine Koch of Washington, D.C., and Mrs. Beryl Bootjer of Santa Barbara, Calif., flew to Scottsbluff Sunday evening.

Mass for Christian Burial was celebrated at 10:00 this Wednesday morning, Aug. 30. at St. Leo's Catholic Church in Lusk with The Rev Bernard Bianco officiating. Rosary was at Peet Mortuary Chapel Tuesday evening.

Interment was in the Lusk Cemetery. Bearers were John Bourret, Clarence Schnurr, Verne Holtz, Alphonse Donohue, Duane Pullen and Reg Bafford.

Bruce Harlan Koch, the only son of Martin and Minnie Sutton Koch, was born in Harrison on July 24, 1916. He died of an apparent heart attack.

Bud, as he was known to his friends and family, grew to manhood in Harrison. He attended schools there where he graduated from Sioux County High School with the class of 1934.

On September 28, 1940, Bud and Maxine Austin were married in Lusk, Wyoming at St. Leo's Catholic Church. He joined the
Catholic Church December 24, 1940, at the Church of the Nativity in Harrison.

He worked with his father in construction in the early years. He served in the Army during World War II. In 1953 Bud and Maxine moved to Washington, D.C. He was a member of the U.S. Capitol Police for several years.

In 1969 he returned to Harrison to stay with his father, following the death of his mother.

Bud was a member of Wieten-Dupes Post No. 4 American Legion in Lusk and a charter
member of B.P.O. Elks Lodge 1797, Lusk. He was one of three members who formed the nucleus for the charter of the new lodge.

In June of 1977, Bud entered the Veterans Hospital in Hot Springs, S.D. There he learned that he was suffering from cancer of the larynx. He underwent a laryngectomy at the Veterans Hospital in Omaha, Neb., in December. Throughout this difficult time he showed great courage.

He was preceded in death by his parents. Maxine and three sisters survive, Lois Erwin of Los Angeles, Calif., Beryl Bootjer of Santa Barbara, Calif. and Willadell DeHaven of Harrison.

In lieu of flowers donations to cancer research will be equally appreciated, according to the family.

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