Robert Ernest Koch
, Washington
Robert Bob Ernest Koch age 83 passed away on Sunday March 29 2026 surrounded by the beauty and peace of Priest Lake. Bob will be remembered as a steady hardworking man whose deep faith resilience and commitment to others shaped both his family and his community. He lived a life rooted in service strong values and a genuine love for the people and places that meant the most to him. Bob was born on July 12 1942 in Santa Barbara CA while his father was stationed in the South Pacific. In 1945 the family returned to their hometown of Lake Elmo MN where he was raised and attended Stillwater Area schools graduating in 1960. As a young man he worked alongside his dad at car dealerships and as an auto mechanic. Growing up in Minnesota he developed a lifelong love of the outdoorsplaying hockey on frozen lakes in the winter…