Steven Farley Koch

Steven Farley Koch

Steven Farley Koch, of Toledo, Iowa, passed away on Sunday, September 2, 2018, at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. Funeral services will be held 10:30 AM Saturday Sept. 8th at the Pape Funeral Home. Visitation will be held Friday 4 – 7 PM at the funeral home. Burial will be at Clinton Lawn Cemetery. Online condolences may be left at www.papefh.com.

Steve was the first born to Patricia Farley Koch Schmitz and Jim Koch, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on July 11, 1949. Steve attended Clinton schools and graduated from CHS in 1967. While attending Ottawa University in Kansas, Steve discovered his first career love in the theater. As an original member of the Old Creamery Theater, then located in Garrison, Iowa, Steve accidentally encountered his second work love while removing bees from his home and launched The Bee Plantation, and his second career began.

An independent spirit with a technical curiosity, Steve, from an early age couldn’t resist disassembling bikes, motorcycles, radios, a Hammond organ and even a Fender Stratocaster to learn how things worked. The family basement and garage were always filled with mysterious widgets, much to his mother’s dismay. Steve maintained The Bee Plantation but found additional occupations as a volunteer EMT in Dysart, IA and Fulton, IL and as an auto technician. He was also an adjunct professor at Iowa Valley Community College in Grinnell.

Steve is survived by his wife, Jananne (Blackburn) of Toledo, two daughters, Sarah (Mark) Goldstein of Arden, NC, and Abbe Koch (Greg) Huizenga of Fulton, IL; step-children, Mitchell Blackburn of Cedar Rapids, Michael Bouthilette, and Shannon Blackburn of Toledo, Iowa; six grandchildren are Alden, Blaze, Lestat, Izak, Zyla and Elijah; his mother, Patricia Schmitz of Clinton; sisters, Ann (Steve) Sheller, of Clinton, Prisha (Tom) Malone of Tallahassee, FL; a brother, Tom Koch of Holliston, MA, sister-in-law, Bernie Koch of Clinton, IA; and Penny Murphy, Sarah and Abbe’s mother, along with many cousins, nieces and nephews across the country.

Steve was preceded in death by his father, Jim Koch and brother, Dave Koch.