HARTINGTON — Mary Lee Koch, 68, Hartington, died March 11, 2024, at Avera Majestic Bluffs Hospice House, Yankton, S.D.

Mass of Christian Burial will be March 14, at 10:30 a.m., at Holy Family (Sts. Peter & Paul) Catholic Church, Bow Valley, with the Rev. Eric Olsen officiating.

Burial will be at Sts. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Bow Valley.

Pallbearers will be her grandchildren, Kason Koch, Lucas Thingstad and Drew Sharpe; and her “God Children,” Tammy Carson, Audi Thoene, Craig Jackson, Jimmy Thoene and Casey Koch.

Honorary pallbearers will be Jerry and Jenny Promes, Chuck and Paula Burbach, and Lorraine (Keevin) Pinkelman.

Visitation will be Wednesday, at church, from 5-8 p.m., with a Vigil Service at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will continue Thursday, one hour prior to services.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home, Hartington.

Mary Lee was born Jan. 27, 1956, in Yankton, to John Anthony and Rose Theresa (Uhing) Thoene Jr. She grew up in Bow Valley and attended elementary school there. Mary Lee graduated from Hartington Cedar Catholic High School in 1974. She married Randy Joe Koch May 31, 1975, at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, Bow Valley. She did daycare in her home; worked for Gurney’s Seed and Nursery, Yankton; Bow Valley SID; and Hydraulics Components, Hartington; before finally working as the secretary for her husband’s and Bruce Wieseler’s business, R&B Land Tiling, until she retired in 2020.

Mary Lee was the church sacristan at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, after her mother, Rose, handed her those duties. She was devoted to that position from the early 2000s on. She was devoted to the Eucharist and was an EMHC. She held an hour of adoration at church for many years, and often took additional hours if people were not able to attend. She was a member of the church choir since 1973, the Council of Catholic Women where she held numerous officer positions; was on the cemetery improvement committee; and she taught CCD. Mary Lee was also involved in JC Camp at Tintern Retreat Center.

She loved the outdoors and her flowers, gardening, cardinals and birds of many kinds. Mary Lee loved her strawberries, traveling to Alaska, and taking care of people.

Her grandchildren and family were one of the most important things in her life. She had a very strong bond with her sisters and often would speak German while with them.

Mary Lee is survived by her husband Randy, Bow Valley; four children and spouses, Tina (Craig) Sharpe, Wayne; Jody (Chrys) Koch, Hartington; Jesse (Dawn) Koch, Bow Valley; Mandy (Marcus) Papenhausen, Coleridge; 15 grandchildren, Drew, Addison and Graham Sharpe; Kotner, Kasen, Kreyton, Kesley, Kyra and Kreston Koch; Lucas Thingstad; Kameron and Macie Koch; and Dawsyn, Kyler and Brooks Papenhausen; eight siblings, Darlene Lucas, Yankton, S.D.; Diana (Larry) Wiehn, Lincoln; Carol (Allen) Lammers, Hartington; Anthony (Carol) Thoene, Bow Valley; Karen Leise, Bow Valley; Danni (Karen) Thoene, Hartington; Sylvan (Leane) Thoene, Hartington; Kathy (Mark) Jackson, Bow Valley; sister-in-law, Claudette (Doug) Sternhagen, Hartington; and numerous family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Rose Thoene Jr.; a brother, Dave Thoene; brothers-in-law, Lloyd Lucas and Dennis Leise; nephews, Eric and Jarod Thoene; parents-in-law, Erwin and Mildred Koch.