Helmut J. Koch

Helmut J. Koch, 89, of South Sioux City, NE, passed away at Providence Medical Center in Wayne, NE on Saturday, April 26, 2025. The visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Wakefield, NE (803 Oak St.). The funeral service will be on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church near Concord, NE. Burial will be in St. Paul's Lutheran Church Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Wakefield.

Helmut was born on May 20, 1935, on a farm near Concord, the son of John Fredrick and Christina Anna (Schmidt) Koch. He was baptized on May 24, 1935, at his home. In 1953, Helmut graduated from Dixon High School. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Wayne State College. He received a master’s degree in Secondary Administration from Wayne State College. He received his second master’s degree from the University of South Dakota in Chemistry and Physics. Helmut served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956. His tour of duty was in Japan. While there, his unit made a mock landing on the island of Iwo Jima. He started his employment with the Snyder Public School System in 1960. While at Snyder, Helmut became President of the Lions Club. He then moved to the Hartley School System in Hartley, IA, he then moved to Pender, NE. In 1968, he was employed by the South Sioux City Community School System as a chemistry and physics instructor. He helped develop a film on Chemistry safety in the laboratory. He loved attending chemistry seminars. He was twice President of the South Sioux City Education Association. While teaching at South Sioux City, he was listed in Who’s Who America’s Teachers numerous times. He received the Golden Apple Award from the South Sioux City Chamber of Commerce in 1999. He retired from teaching in 2000. 

Helmut is survived by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, many friends, and former students.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Christina (Schmidt) Koch at his birth in 1935; father, John F. Koch in 1962; sisters, Hulda (1921), Agatha (1921), Infant sister (1932), Martha (Desmond) Smith (2014), Marie (Helmuth) Rieck (2008), Laura (Bob) Thomas (1998), Hildegard (Paul) Thomas (2013), Edna (Don) George (2012), Adele Koch (2019); brothers, Arnold (1921), George (1929), and Martin (2009).