Early Good Friday morning, with his wife and two daughters by his side, Jim peacefully left this earthly home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Jim was born February 9, 1933 in Alameda, CA.  Six months later, he was adopted by Harry and Molly Koch of Fresno, CA.  Harry was a detective in the police force and Molly was a homemaker.  Jim grew up in the same house his parents had built when he was three years old.  He had a happy childhood, always having a summer job to earn money.  After graduating from Fresno High School, he went to Fresno State University where he joined the Theta Chi Fraternity and worked for North American Aviation.  It was at a New Year’s Eve party at his fraternity house where he met his future wife, Janice Jorgenson.  He joined the Air Force after college and received special training in Denver, Colorado.  He was then sent to Travis Air Base in northern CA.  Jim and Jan married in December of 1956.  When he was honorably discharged from the Air Force, he went to work for Rockwell International in Downey, CA.  Jim had an MG and he and Jan spent many fun weekends participating in MG rallies.  After their first daughter Lora was born, they bought a home in Garden Grove, CA.  Four years later their second daughter Lisa was born.  The girls were Jim’s pride and joy and he was always so proud to be their dad.  When the girls were 8 and 4 Jim was one of six men sent to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to open and run a manufacturing facility there. Just weeks away from opening, President Nixon resigned and the decision was made to not open the plant.  Upon the family’s return to the states, Jim was offered a job at their Mexico facility.  He was there for three years when he was sent to their Hanford plant as Project Manager.  The family settled in Richland and Jim became involved with the girls’ softball teams and their ballet school.  He spent many hours at their rehearsals in order to work the lights at their performances in the Nutcracker.  Jim had a beautiful voice and was in several productions put on by the Richland Light Opera.  He was an accomplished pianist and the family loved to hear him play.  Jim was an avid golfer.  When he retired, he joined the Columbia Point Golf Course where he spent many happy hours with good friends.  Jim had a firm belief in Jesus Christ.  He was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and served the church quietly in many ways.  He was an elder, sang in the choir, served on the building committee and he helped with the delivery of food for those who needed help.  He was a man of great integrity and will be missed. 

A memorial service will be held on April 28, 2018, 1:00 PM, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Kennewick, WA.  Memorials can be made for the church sanctuary or to one of his favorite charities: Wounded Warriors, St. Jude Children’s Hospitals or Shriners Hospitals for Children.