Mary Koch Vinz

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Obituary

Mary Koch Vinz, 93, of Stickney, SD, passed away peacefully in her sleep Thursday, January 9, 2025 at her daughter’s home. Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 AM Saturday, January 18, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Plankinton. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Stickney. Visitation will be Friday from 5-7:00 PM at St. John’s Catholic Church with a 6:30 PM prayer service. Arrangements by Bittner Funeral Chapel.

Mary (Mohnen) (Koch) Vinz was born in Pierce, NE on November 12, 1931, to Joseph and Anna (Schroeder) Mohnen. They moved to a farm just south of White Lake, SD when she was a little girl. Mary had nine brothers and five sisters. She graduated from White Lake High School. She then attended Aberdeen College during the summer. She obtained her teaching certificate and taught in the fall at a country school. Mary did this for two years.

Mary married William (Gene) Koch on August 18, 1953. They had nine children. Mary farmed alongside her husband Gene south of Plankinton for many years, and loved being a mother and housewife but then went to work later in life. She cooked at the I-90 cafe in Plankinton, she also worked as a CNA in the white Lake Nursing Home, and several others over her lifetime.

Mary was a lifetime member of the VFW Auxiliary. She was also a loyal member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Stickney, SD where she taught catechism over the years.

In 2001, Mary was united in marriage to Warren Vinz and moved to Spencer, SD where she lived until she moved in with her daughter in Hartford, SD. Mary was staying with her daughter by Plankinton where she peacefully passed away in her sleep January 9, 2025.

Mary is survived by her son, Bob Koch of Plankinton; daughters: Dori (Larry) Maas of Alamogordo, NM, Lynn (Mike) Buck of Scotland, SD, Janet (George) Ham of Hartford, Lisa (Carl) Greene of Plankinton, Polly (Larry) Olsen of Plankinton, Mary (Gary) Palo of Hot Springs, SD, and Marjorie (Larry) Peed of Page, NE; 27 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren; sisters, Sharon (Bob) Beckman, Dolores Waters, and Theresa Ishmael; brother, Paul (Nancy) Mohnen; daughter-in-law, Sharon Koch (Mike Hepper); sister-in-law, Rosalie Mohnen; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by both her spouses, William Koch and Warren Vinz; eldest son, Douglas Koch; brothers: John, Philip (Rosanne), Jim (Millie), Leo (Donna), Gerold, David, Edward, and Richard; sisters, Betty (Merlyn) Kettner and Jeanette (Bob) Priebe; and brother-in-law, Alan Waters.

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