Virginia Fern Koch

Virginia Fern Janzen Koch was born March 19, 1919, in Fairview, Oklahoma. Virginia was 107 years old when the angels came to take her home to heaven April 16, 2026.

Virginia was the second of five children born to Fred and Hulda (Seibel) Janzen. She attended grades 1-4 in Golden Valley, a one room school west of Fairview. Her family moved to Beaver County Oklahoma in 1929 and settled on a farm 17 miles southwest of Beaver in the Anthony

Community. She completed grade school in the one room Anthony School and graduated from Beaver High School in 1940.

Many changes occurred during Virginia’s life. She told the story of her dad coming home from Fairview driving a Model T touring car. Virginia and Lorena, her older sister, hesitated to go near the car thinking it might jump out and grab them or run over them. The first Sunday they had the Model T Ford, the girls begged their dad to get the horses and buggy to go to church. They were afraid of that car.

When the family moved to Beaver, they pulled a two wheel trailer behind the car and had crates of chickens tied on the running boards. Then her dad hitchhiked back to Fairview to get the horses, covered wagon, Shetland pony, and other things.

Virginia loved the outdoors and was her dad’s right hand helper on the farm. She helped water and feed the horses. When wheat was sewn, Virginia rode on the drill to watch and see if the wheat seeds were all falling in the pipes. But when school started, she had to go to school.

After Virginia graduated from high school, she dreamed of going to nurse’s training. There was no money to do that, so she answered an ad in the Liberal, Kansas, newspaper to be a live in caregiver for children and do housework for $3.50 a week. Later she worked for another family and got $5.00 a week. The money was saved in a black tin suitcase.

There was a shortage of nurses when the war broke out and Virginia had enough money for one semester of nurse’s training. Her dad sold a cow and gave her money for bus fare to go to El Dorado, Kansas. After one semester, the government established a new cadet program to keep nurses in school. The hospital board dropped all fees and paid students $25 a month to stay in school. So Virginia was able to continue her schooling. The students worked long hours on the floor and in classes. Many friendships were forged during that time as they worked together.

Virginia graduated and received her RN Degree in January 1945 from Allen Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. She worked at Beaver Hospital for a year, then went to Dallas and took a post graduate course in operating room technique at the Baylor Hospital. During her career, she worked at the Beaver Hospital, Sanford Hospital in Perryton, and Canadian Hospital.

It was in Canadian that Virginia met Salamo Koch. They were married in March 1955 and made their home in Darrouzett, Texas. One daughter, Sally Ann, was born to this marriage.

In 1957 Virginia took the position of school nurse for the four schools in Lipscomb County, Texas. Each week she divided her time between the schools in Booker, Darrouzett, Follett, and Higgins. She retired from that position in 1984 after 27 years of service. She often mentioned and had fond memories of many of the students she knew during this time.

Virginia was an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church for many years. During meals at the church she would be seen taking her prepared food dishes across the street from her house to the church in her little red wagon. She enjoyed preparing the scrambled eggs for the annual pancake supper at the church. Her recipe is still used today.

She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Kiowa Post 635, in Darrouzett. She was an active helper in the many fund raising functions conducted by the Legion. She especially enjoyed the Halloween Festival and the Duchess Fest celebration. She was fondly known as the Popcorn Lady, as preparing popcorn for the Legion activities was a favorite for Virginia. She was also a Girl Scout leader for several years when Sally Ann was young.

Virginia enjoyed the outdoors and camping. She and Salamo were active members of the Good Sam’s Camping Club and made many friends during their travels. She loved to play cards and board games. Virginia was a fun person and was always ready for new adventures. She especially enjoyed family reunions, always looking forward to spending time with relatives and friends.

Virginia was preceded in death by her husband Salamo, daughter Sally Ann, parents, sisters Lorena and Norma Ruth, and brothers Lester and Raymond and sister-in-law Mary Ellen.

She is survived by grandson Joshua Burke, son-in-law Claude Payne, sister-in-law Betty Janzen, special friend Norma Miller, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.