Dec. 16, 1967 – Jan. 20, 2010

Joseph David Koch, 42, formerly of Redmond, died Jan. 20, 2010, in a truck accident in Carlsbad, NM. A Celebration of his life will be held Feb. 6, 2010, 2 pm, at River West Church, 15751 Quarry Rd., Lake Oswego, OR. A gathering of friendship and fellowship will follow.

Joe was born Dec. 16, 1967, in West Covina, CA. His parents are Bob and Ginger Koch of Lake Oswego. He grew up in Corona, CA, and moved with his family to Oregon City in the early 1980s.

His family settled in Lake Oswego and Joe spent the remainder of his teenager years there. He attended school in Oregon City and Lake Oswego. As a teenager Joe worked with his father in their restaurant exhaust cleaning business. He met Tara LaVelle in 1984, and they were married in 1989, in Lake Grove. They have two daughters, Katherine Dell and Emily Grace.

In 1991, Joe began his lifelong career as a truck driver. He moved to Redmond in 1998, and continued to drive semi-trucks and worked for a short time for Power Rents and RSC Rentals in Redmond. He and Tara divorced in 2001. He continued his love for truck driving and worked for Hog Haulers in Portland, traveling across the U.S. He eventually moved to Las Vegas, NV, and there he met Christie Sanders.

He took over as sound manager for Christie’s rock band and later acted as band manager. Joe and Christie were married Dec. 14, 2009, in Carlsbad, NM.

As a child, he excelled in math and chess and was a member of the school chess club in junior high. He won several awards for scholastic achievement through elementary to high school. He was also a very good poker player.

He loved buying and fixing up cars and was a ”Joe of all trades.” He was a hard worker and did every job to his best ability. Joe was sensitive to other people’s feelings and often went out of his way to cheer people up. He was kind, giving and compassionate and was always willing to help others. He was good with children, treasured life and saw beauty in simple things. He had many friends and a great sense of humor.

Joe leaves behind his daughters, Katie Dell Koch and Emily Grace Koch of Redmond; parents, Bob and Ginger Koch of Lake Oswego; wife, Christie Sanders of Carlsbad, NM.; stepsons, Kasey, Kyle and Kevin Klug, all of Carlsbad, NM; sisters, Garnetta Crabtree, Lynne Koch and Ruth Gleason; brothers, Rick Boyer and Nick Koch; former wife, Tara LaVelle of Redmond; parents in-law, Donald and Dell LaVelle of Redmond and Curtis and Deb Sanders of Carlsbad, NM; and many nieces and nephews. His grandparents, Virgil and Josephine Kopaska, and Oscar and Helen Koch preceded him in death.

Blessed are we who knew him. He will never be thought of as just your average Joe. He was everyone’s Joe.

Joseph David Koch