John Couch

John "Dick" Couch
March 11, 1920 - September 25, 2008
Kalona, Iowa
Memorial Service: 11:00 a.m. September 29, 2008 at Kalona Mennonite Church
Visitation: 3-7 p.m. September 28, 2008 at Yoder-Powell Funeral Home
Interment: September 29, 2008 at Sharon Hill Cemetery
John Richard "Dick" Couch was born March 11, 1920, in Piedmont, Missouri the son of John Leonard and Mayme (Tyrey) Couch. He graduated from high school in DeSoto, Missouri. On June 13, 1940, he was united in marriage to Ruth Moore in Normandy, Missouri. Dick served in the United States Navy during WWII. After returning from the war they lived in St. Louis County before moving to Bowling Green, Missouri, where they lived for 20 years and then moved to West Plains, Missouri where they lived for 25 years. Dick worked as a sales agent for Standard Oil for 12 years, a life insurance agent for Lincoln Mutual Insurance for 12 years, and for the State of Missouri Employment Security for 18 years before retiring in 1984. Dick and Ruth moved to Kalona in November of 2000. Dick was a member of the First Baptist Church in West Plains, Missouri where he was very active and held many offices and also sang in a men's quartet. Since moving to Kalona, he attended the Kalona Mennonite Church. Dick died on Thursday, September 25, 2008, at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City following a sudden illness at the age of 88 years. Dick is survived by 2 daughters - Julie Griffith of St. Louis, Missouri; June Miller and husband Marlin of Kalona; 5 grandchildren - Darin Griffith, Kyle Griffith, Courtney Holycross, Jamie Trueblood, Shonda Hershberger, 5 great grandchildren - Alexis Holycross, Tristen Griffith, London Hershberger, Camden Hershberger and Tatum Trueblood; and a brother - George Couch of Olive Branch, Mississippi. Dick was preceded in death by his parents, his wife in March of 2007, 2 great grandsons - Kai and Boston Hershberger; and 3 brothers - Leonard Couch, Hubert Couch and Fred Couch.
A memorial fund has been established for Kalona Mennonite Church.