Roger Koch

On March 11, 2007, beloved son, brother and friend Roger Koch passed into his Eternal Home in God, no longer impaired by lifelong cognitive challenges that shaped every moment of his life. Born two months premature with twin Ron on Nov. 6, 1936, Roger suffered oxygen deprivation that left him with diminished intellectual functioning. At little more than two pounds each, both boys had to be fed every two hours for ever a year and a half before they began to thrive. As the twins grew older, they traveled with their parents, Marjorie and Ferd Koch, to Arizona, Georgia and Kansas as their father trained soldiers for the European fronts of W.W. II. When their dad was sent to land on the beach at Normandy, the twins and their mother returned to Boise to live with their maternal grandmother, Ruby Talboy, on Thatcher St. There Roger was denied access to a public school education while his brother Ron excelled scholastically. This discrepancy was hard on both boys -- Ron frequently had to defend his brother against the cruelties of neighborhood children. When the family moved up to the foothills in 1948, Marjorie worked tirelessly to found a special school which Roger loved. Unfortunately at the age of 16 Roger suffered a stroke, leaving him far more impaired, sleepless, and dangerous to the two little sisters and a new baby sister who were now part of the family. Desperate to find a home for their 17-year-old son, our parents were forced to place Roger at Nampa State School, then little more than a warehouse. When Marjorie was told she could not visit Roger for six months, she ignored the rule and with Cheryl at school and baby Lynne with a sitter, she took Deanne at least twice a week -- starting with a mop and broom -- in an attempt to improve the living conditions of her son. Soon the facility changed dramatically as Majorie enlisted other parents, friends and family, bringing The Arc to Idaho and pushing for the rights of those with mental and physical challenges. Ferd, a state legislator, helped create The Americans with Disabilities Act that brought sweeping changes to what is now Idaho State School and Hospital, a state-of-the-art living and learning center. The wonderful people who staff ISS&H, who beautifully balance innovative learning methodologies with unwavering compassion, provided our brother Roger with the awesome life he so enjoyed in their care. Sister Deanne, given the amazingly rewarding job of Roger's guardianship after our parents' deaths, always witnessed firsthand the loving dedication given so freely to Roger and everyone calling ISS&H their home. We wish to thank ISS&H's Ella, Drew, Martha, Maddy, Liz, Neva, Shirley, Helen, Tony, Ron, Margarthe, Elaine, Joey, Maria, Teresa, Carla, Ben, Joanie, Marianne, Stephanie, Catherine, Amaya, Daniel, Lydia, Gina, Deb, Jesse, Paul, Mary T., Ragen, Kami, Cheryl, Michelle, Tim, Pam, Peggy, Don, Steve, Beth, Tim W., Jennifer W., Patty, Sharon, Vern, Stephanie R., Leslie, Erin, Marty, Chris, Dr. Rose and Dr. Kennedy. Thank you, also, to St. Luke's Meridian, especially Dr. Garber and all the nurses and staff on Floors 4 and 5 and the Emergency Rooms, especially Steve, John-Paul, Linda and Ducille. Roger leaves behind twin brother Ron and wife Janis, sister Cheryl and husband Don, sister Deanne and husband Harvey, sister Lynne and husband Craig, their children and grandchildren, and special sister-in-law Sharon and her mother Edith. A celebration of Roger's life will be held at Idaho State School and Hospital Medical Building, 1660 11th Ave. N., Nampa, ID (Idaho Center Exit off I-84, turn left after 100 years, go up hill, past golf course, to signs for ISS&H), at 4:30 p.m., April 4, 2007. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made in Roger's name to ISS&H Parents and Guardians Group at 1660 11th Ave. N., Nampa, ID 83687.