Frank Koch

Frank Koch, 73, Bismarck, died June 10, 2016, at CHI St. Alexius Health. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday at 2:00 PM at Church of Corpus Christi in Bismarck with Rev. Paul Becker officiating. Burial will be at Finnish Lutheran Cemetery in Kintyre, ND. Visitation will be Monday from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a prayer service will begin at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue on Tuesday one hour prior to the service at the church. In the snow and cold of February 15, 1943, a tiny baby boy named Francis arrived in rural Grant County, ND, number five in an eventual family of ten. Dayo and Neifa (Kopp) Koch were very proud of their children, helping them to form a strong work ethic and nurturing an intense desire to learn. Frank graduated from high school in McIntosh, SD, in 1960. He graduated from Valley City State College in 1965 with degrees in chemistry and mathematics education, and from North Dakota State University in 1969 with a master’s degree in chemistry education. His career included stints as a chemist at the North Dakota Health Department and as a teacher of mathematics and chemistry at schools in Center and Edgeley, and at Christ the King in Mandan. In 1968, he began a career at Bismarck State College as a chemistry professor that ended in 2003 with his first bout of cancer. During the years, he was very active on national and regional Two-Year Chemistry Association boards. He was recognized by the Valley City State College Alumni Association in 2001 and received the Alumni of the Year Award at Bismarck State College in 1998. But science didn’t end with cancer, he pushed forward with the dream to create a science center for children in the Bismarck area. Gateway to Science has grown over the past 20 years with Frank building exhibits and currently serving as President on the Board of Directors as they take the next step in future development. Frank was an overly-active Flickertail Woodcarvers member and he chaired the annual show for years. Never ceasing to be a teacher, he received three North Dakota Council of the Arts teaching grants to give students an advanced taste for woodcarving. He was a member of the Bismarck Lions Club, Elks Lodge 1199, and the Visiting Scientist Series Committee. And through it all, he would make time to play a game of bridge with his wife, Kay, and friends. After Kay Liversage came into his life in 1966, she shared his enthusiasm for science, woodcarving, travel, community service, and lake time. Joining in all this fun were their two children Nancy, who pursued education, married to Steven Durow, and Robert, who pursued meteorology, married to Lonna Dillavou. Grandchildren Alex and Emily Durow and Isabel Koch will cherish the memories of many science and carving experiences with their grandpa. Frank enjoyed organizing family reunions, holiday gatherings and summer fun at Lake Isabel with his eight brothers and sisters: Geri Senger, Woodbury, MN, Delores Emineth, Vancouver, WA, Bill (Leona) Koch, Raleigh, ND, Loretta (Joe) Barron, Davenport, IA, Jim Koch, Bismarck, ND, Rose (Gary) Braun, Bismarck, ND, Linda (George) Kraft, Bullhead City, AZ, and Kathy (Dan) Wolf, Bismarck, ND. Departed family include his parents; brother, Edmund; Kay’s parents, Gavin and Gertrude Liversage; and brothers-in-law, Mike Senger and Mike Emineth. Frank’s family shares his dream for the future of Gateway to Science and in lieu of cards and flowers, please bless the construction of Gateway to Science with your gifts.