Katherine Koch Joyce Jun 20, 2016 Katherine Koch Joyce, a native of Omaha, passed away on June 20, 2016 following an 11-month battle with ovarian cancer. A graduate of DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, Kathy was always blessed with a brilliantly sharp mind and wit. She turned her talents into a successful advertising career as a copywriter in Lincoln and Omaha, but her true passion and love was in being a wife, mother and grandmother. Kathy and her husband, Bob, were married for 35 years and raised three children together. Family was her greatest joy. Their marriage showed incredible strength; they grew more and more in love, especially in their last years while fighting their respective battles with cancer. Kathy and Bob never let cancer or adversity get in the way of a great adventure; they traveled to Hawaii, the Bahamas, and everywhere in between, hiking mountains, riding bikes, laughing, loving, and spending time with each other. Anyone who ever met Kathy knows that she told it like it is. She was renowned for her annual Christmas card, where she chose to make light of her familys imperfections, instead of glossing over them. She could make you laugh, cry, and cringe, all with a few strokes of the keyboard. We loved her for her sarcastic wit and will miss it every day. She taught her three children, Kasey, Skip, and Andy, to live life to the fullest. She fought hard for what she believed in, and instilled that same fight in her children. She recently became a grandmother to her grandson Julian, and loved teaching him to swim, dance, sing, and laugh. We are profoundly sad she wont have the chance to meet her future grandchildren, as we know they would have all loved their Kaxi. We are thankful that Kathy passed away at her favorite place in the world, her cabin on the shores of Pleasant Lake, Minnesota. The night before she died, the skies turned a brilliant shade of pink, as a full moon rose above the clouds, and lightning danced in the distance. She was truly at peace. Kathy was preceded in death by her husband, Bob. She is survived by her parents, Harry and Gail Koch of Omaha; three children: Kasey Grelle (Dave) of St Louis, Andy Joyce (Sydney) of Lincoln, and Skip Joyce of Omaha (fiancée, Katy); grandson, Julian Grelle; brother, Hal Koch (Ashlee) of Santa Rosa, California; and brother, Dan Koch (Lisa) of Elkhorn; and several nieces and nephews. She was loved and will be remembered as a sister to her numerous cousins and friends. The family will receive friends on Thursday, June 23, 2016 from 5pm to 7pm at Heafey Hoffman Dworak Cutler Bel Air Chapel, 12100 W. Center Rd. MEMORIAL SERVICE will be held on Friday, June 24th at 10:30am at Countryside Community Church, 8787 Pacific. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Boys and Girls Club of Omaha.
HEAFEY-HOFFMANN DWORAK & CUTLER BEL AIR CHAPEL 12100 West Center Road Omaha, Nebraska 68114 (402) 391-3900
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