Chicago Sun-Times December 10, 1996:
When the Rev. J. Robert Koch was ailing, and blind, the former head of St. Ignatius College Prep returned to its hallways for a final visit last year.
"Just before he went to the convalescent home, he came down here," remembered the Rev. Donald Rowe, the school's current president. "He couldn't see very much; but he wanted to walk around the school, to come back one more time and say goodbye."
Father Koch, 83, died Friday at the Colombiere Jesuit Community in Clarkston, Mich.. He was president and rector of St. Ignatius from 1961 to 1967.
"He was here in very difficult times," Rowe said. "After the Second Vatican Council, and with the complaints about Vietnam, young people were getting on the contrary side. He had to deal with those issues."
His most enduring legacy at St. Ignatius, 1076 W. Roosevelt, was the construction of a new gym and a dining hall - the first buildings built on the campus since 1895 - despite pressure to move the school from the troubled Near West Side.
Father Koch entered the Society of Jesus in August, 1930, at Milford, Ohio. He had a master's degree in classics from Loyola University, and he taught at the academy from 1937 to 1940. He was ordained a priest in June, 1943.
He was rector-president of the University of Detroit High School from 1953 to 1959, and pastor at Our Lady of the Springs Church in French Lick, Ind..
Father Koch was associate pastor of St. Ignatius Church from 1968 to 1978.
Survivors include his nephew, J. Robert Koch, of Cincinnati.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7:30 p.m. today at St. Ignatius Church, 6559 N. Glenwood. Mass will follow at 7:30 p.m. Burial will be at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at All Saints Cemetery, 700 N. River Rd., Des Plaines.
When the Rev. J. Robert Koch was ailing, and blind, the former head of St. Ignatius College Prep returned to its hallways for a final visit last year.
"Just before he went to the convalescent home, he came down here," remembered the Rev. Donald Rowe, the school's current president. "He couldn't see very much; but he wanted to walk around the school, to come back one more time and say goodbye."
Father Koch, 83, died Friday at the Colombiere Jesuit Community in Clarkston, Mich.. He was president and rector of St. Ignatius from 1961 to 1967.
"He was here in very difficult times," Rowe said. "After the Second Vatican Council, and with the complaints about Vietnam, young people were getting on the contrary side. He had to deal with those issues."
His most enduring legacy at St. Ignatius, 1076 W. Roosevelt, was the construction of a new gym and a dining hall - the first buildings built on the campus since 1895 - despite pressure to move the school from the troubled Near West Side.
Father Koch entered the Society of Jesus in August, 1930, at Milford, Ohio. He had a master's degree in classics from Loyola University, and he taught at the academy from 1937 to 1940. He was ordained a priest in June, 1943.
He was rector-president of the University of Detroit High School from 1953 to 1959, and pastor at Our Lady of the Springs Church in French Lick, Ind..
Father Koch was associate pastor of St. Ignatius Church from 1968 to 1978.
Survivors include his nephew, J. Robert Koch, of Cincinnati.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7:30 p.m. today at St. Ignatius Church, 6559 N. Glenwood. Mass will follow at 7:30 p.m. Burial will be at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at All Saints Cemetery, 700 N. River Rd., Des Plaines.
Chicago Sun-Times December 10, 1996:
When the Rev. J. Robert Koch was ailing, and blind, the former head of St. Ignatius College Prep returned to its hallways for a final visit last year.
"Just before he went to the convalescent home, he came down here," remembered the Rev. Donald Rowe, the school's current president. "He couldn't see very much; but he wanted to walk around the school, to come back one more time and say goodbye."
Father Koch, 83, died Friday at the Colombiere Jesuit Community in Clarkston, Mich.. He was president and rector of St. Ignatius from 1961 to 1967.
"He was here in very difficult times," Rowe said. "After the Second Vatican Council, and with the complaints about Vietnam, young people were getting on the contrary side. He had to deal with those issues."
His most enduring legacy at St. Ignatius, 1076 W. Roosevelt, was the construction of a new gym and a dining hall - the first buildings built on the campus since 1895 - despite pressure to move the school from the troubled Near West Side.
Father Koch entered the Society of Jesus in August, 1930, at Milford, Ohio. He had a master's degree in classics from Loyola University, and he taught at the academy from 1937 to 1940. He was ordained a priest in June, 1943.
He was rector-president of the University of Detroit High School from 1953 to 1959, and pastor at Our Lady of the Springs Church in French Lick, Ind..
Father Koch was associate pastor of St. Ignatius Church from 1968 to 1978.
Survivors include his nephew, J. Robert Koch, of Cincinnati.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7:30 p.m. today at St. Ignatius Church, 6559 N. Glenwood. Mass will follow at 7:30 p.m. Burial will be at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at All Saints Cemetery, 700 N. River Rd., Des Plaines.
When the Rev. J. Robert Koch was ailing, and blind, the former head of St. Ignatius College Prep returned to its hallways for a final visit last year.
"Just before he went to the convalescent home, he came down here," remembered the Rev. Donald Rowe, the school's current president. "He couldn't see very much; but he wanted to walk around the school, to come back one more time and say goodbye."
Father Koch, 83, died Friday at the Colombiere Jesuit Community in Clarkston, Mich.. He was president and rector of St. Ignatius from 1961 to 1967.
"He was here in very difficult times," Rowe said. "After the Second Vatican Council, and with the complaints about Vietnam, young people were getting on the contrary side. He had to deal with those issues."
His most enduring legacy at St. Ignatius, 1076 W. Roosevelt, was the construction of a new gym and a dining hall - the first buildings built on the campus since 1895 - despite pressure to move the school from the troubled Near West Side.
Father Koch entered the Society of Jesus in August, 1930, at Milford, Ohio. He had a master's degree in classics from Loyola University, and he taught at the academy from 1937 to 1940. He was ordained a priest in June, 1943.
He was rector-president of the University of Detroit High School from 1953 to 1959, and pastor at Our Lady of the Springs Church in French Lick, Ind..
Father Koch was associate pastor of St. Ignatius Church from 1968 to 1978.
Survivors include his nephew, J. Robert Koch, of Cincinnati.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7:30 p.m. today at St. Ignatius Church, 6559 N. Glenwood. Mass will follow at 7:30 p.m. Burial will be at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at All Saints Cemetery, 700 N. River Rd., Des Plaines.
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