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Joanna M. Koch, formerly of Hornell

ROCHESTER/HORNELL-Joanna M. Koch, 91, of Rochester, formerly of Adsit St., Hornell, passed away Saturday morning (Oct. 1, 2016) at Highland Hospital in Rochester.

Born in Buffalo on April 7, 1925, she was the daughter of the late John and Mary Louise (Mattoon) McDonnell. On Aug. 28, 1950, she was married at St. Mary’s Church in Bath to Thomas P. Koch, who predeceased her on Dec. 16, 2013, after 63 years of marriage. Besides her husband, she was also predeceased her brother, John McDonnell and her son-in-law, Gerald Helmer.

A former resident of Bath, Joann was a graduate of Haverling Central School and resided in Hornell for 60 years before moving to Rochester in 2011.

Prior to her retirement, she was employed as a library aide for the Hornell City School District.

Joann was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and was a communicant of St. Ann’s Church in Hornell. She was also a former member of the Ladies of Columbus.

Her loving family includes her daughter, Mary Kock Helmer (Charles Zhao) of Rochester; her three grandchildren, Elizabeth Helmer McIntosh (Richard) of Corning, Thomas Helmer (Julie) of Boise, Idaho and Kathleen Helmer Baxter (Charles) of Portland, Ore.; her two great-grandchildren, Connor and Christopher McIntosh; her two sisters-in-law, Carolyn Koch Hutton (Michael) of Rochester and Margaret Koch of Canisteo; also several nieces and nephews.

The Bishop & Johnson Funeral Home, Inc., 285 Main St. in Hornell is honored to serve the family of Joanna M. Koch.

To honor her wishes there will be no calling hours. Friends are invited to meet her family at St. Ann’s Church in Hornell where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in her memory at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Committal prayers and interment will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Town of Fremont.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing may contribute in her memory to Steuben County Rural Ministry, P.O. Box 61, Canisteo, N.Y. 14823. Envelopes for memorial contributions will be available at the church.

Online condolences or remembrances of Joann are welcomed at the Bishop & Johnson Funeral Home.


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