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Kocher, Ruth
Ruth Kocher, 84, of Bettendorf, died Sunday, May 6, 2012, at Genesis Medical Center-East, Davenport, with her children at her side. Services in celebration of her life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 12, at Weerts Funeral Home, Kimberly at Jersey Ridge Road, Davenport, with the Rev. Ron Carlson officiating. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Westview Cemetery, La Porte City, Iowa, at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 13.
Memorials may be made to Church of the New Jerusalem, (c/o Tom Hart, current president), 1107 12th St. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402.
Ruth was born in March 1928 to George and Ella (Haines) Uthoff of Mount Vernon. She grew up on a farm, went to a one-room country school, graduated from Mount Vernon High School in 1946, and attended the University of Iowa where she majored in English. On June 12, 1948, she married Richard Kocher of La Porte City. He died Oct. 22, 1997. Together they raised their family in Illinois, Iowa and France, wherever Caterpillar sent them.
Ruth enjoyed all things fun and beautiful; travel, reading, cooking, playing bridge, gardening and fun with friends and family. She was interested in everything; history, art, foreign languages, plays, music, collecting and dining. In retirement, she wintered in Florida, California and New Orleans. She was a member of the Illowa chapter of Questers, Entre-Nous of Peoria and the International Club of Grenoble, France.
Survivors include her daughters, Ellen M. (E. Paul) Plaisance of New Orleans, La., and Susan D. Kocher (Richard George) of South Lake Tahoe, Calif.; son, Robert L. (Linda) Kocher of New Orleans; grandchildren, Michael Kocher, Sarah Kocher, and Freeman and Evelyn George; stepgranddaughter, Yolanda Tuckerman; and stepgreat-grandson, Liam Tuckerman.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a sister, Avilda Huemiller; and brother, John Uthoff.
Online condolences may be expressed to Mrs. Kocher's family by visiting her obituary at .
Published in The Gazette May 10, 2012.
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