Obituary of Karl A. Divine-Koch

Rev. Karl A. Divine-Koch, 65, of Iowa City, died peacefully at his home, Tuesday, December 24, 2013 after a long illness. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am Monday, December 30, 2013, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, followed by a time of fellowship and lunch. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 pm Sunday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Karl's memory to benefit UIHC Pulmonary Rehab Services, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, or Iowa City Public Library. Online condolences may be sent for his family through the web @ www.gayandciha.com. Karl Arthur Koch was born August 31, 1948, in Ann Arbor, MI the son of Harold and Margaret (Schoenberg) Koch. He grew up in Dexter, MI where he graduated from high school in 1966. He attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa where he received his BA degree in English.He received his Master's in Divinity at Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque in 1974 and was ordained at his home church, Zion Lutheran Church, in Ann Arbor, MI. His career in the church as a Pastor began in 1974 at St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Waltham, MN. From there he moved to Fresno, CA serving as a Lutheran Campus Pastor and then in the same position on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames for over 15 years. He accepted an interim position as Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Iowa City in July of 1999. He was called as senior pastor to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Iowa City in 2000 and here he remained until health issues forced him to leave the ministry in 2012.In his heart and soul, he never left the ministry that he so loved! Karl loved the theater and while in Ames he was involved in Ames Women's Theater and Ames Community Theater (ACTORS). This is where he met Catherine Divine who he married in Ames on Dec. 28, 2000. He was a family man and enjoyed being a coach to his sons' soccer and baseball teams in Ames as Ben and Jeff were growing up. Karl believed in giving back to the community and he shared his time, talents and gifts in volunteering in Fresno, Ames, and Iowa City. In his quiet time, he loved those close to him with such passion, enjoyed listening to all genres of music, especially something his son had produced, and was an avid reader of everything he could put his hands on. His family includes his wife, Catherine Divine-Koch; two sons, Benjamin Koch and his wife, Paula and their children, Vincent, Morena, and Maya of The Colony, TX; and Jeffrey Koch of Portland, OR; step-daughter, Anna Ellenberger of Iowa City; his father, Harold Koch of Iowa City; sister, Kathy Mundt and her husband, Jerry of Cedar Falls, and their son, Cory Mundt; and Karl's brother, Keith Koch and his wife, Sue of Oxnard, CA, and their children, Anthony Koch and Sharon Embree. Karl was preceded in death by his mother, Margaret Koch. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Karl's family and his services.