Koth, Virginia Lee 1925-2014

KOTH, RAU, KNODEL

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 4/7/2014 at 08:20:14

Virginia Koth

Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Le Mars Daily Sentinel

Virginia Koth, 88, of Le Mars, went to be with her Lord on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014 at the Good Samaritan Society-Le Mars.

Virginia Lee Koth was born April 9, 1925, in McLaughlin, S.D., to John and Emelia (Knodel) Rau.

Virginia was active in the McLaughlin Evangelical United Brethren Church from childhood. She repented of her sins and received Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and Lord around 12 years of age.

She graduated from McLaughlin High School in 1942 and Western Union College in Le Mars in 1947 with majors in music education and English.

While attending Western Union, she met the love of her life, Kenneth Koth, whom she married in McLaughlin, S.D., on Aug. 18, 1947. They moved to Jennings Lodge, Ore., where Ken attended Western Evangelical Seminary. Virginia taught music at Oak Grove Elementary and Clackamas Elementary in Oak Grove, Ore.

In 1950, they moved to North Dakota and Ken pastored E.U.B. churches in Tappen, Cavalier and Jamestown. In 1968 they moved to Oregon City, Ore., where Ken pastored the Oregon City Evangelical Church.

Virginia served her family and alongside Ken, entertaining many guests, playing piano and organ, directing choirs, working with children and mentoring women. She also taught piano in their home.

Ken and Virginia moved to Le Mars in 1994. She made new friends and served wherever she could. She soon developed the early stages of Alzheimers but faced the challenge with courage as she trusted in the Lord. In 2007, she moved to Good Samaritan Society-Le Mars, joining Ken. They were married for 63 years until Ken's death in June 2011.

Virginia was loving, compassionate, and was always helping others in need. She enjoyed gardening and created beautiful yards wherever they lived. She was artistic and found creative ways to decorate their homes beautifully on a limited budget.

She filled the home with warmth and music and planned fun family times together. Virginia was a devoted and loving wife, mother and grandmother.

She loved the Lord and enjoyed Bible Studies and hearing the Word of God taught. Before he died, Ken wrote of her: "She was a great encourager to me. I thank the Lord for Virginia and I expect to meet her at the feet of Jesus whom we loved and who loved us so much."

Virginia is survived by three daughters: Kamille (Fred) Gums, of Le Mars, Joy (Mike) Odom, of Milwaukie, Ore., and Brenda (Mark) Koth-Kolpitcke, of Onalaska, Wis.; two grandchildren: Dave (Kathy) Gums, of Clear Lake, S.D. and Marie (Shannon) Arduser, of Laurel, Neb.; two stepgrandchildren: Ben (Adrian) Kolpitcke, of Onalaska, Wis., and Katie Kolpitcke, of Minneapolis, Minn; nine great-grandchildren: Lily, Daniel, Joanna, Deborah and Esther Gums and Emma, Maija, Simon and Xavier Kolpitcke; her brother, Alfred Rau, of Story City; two sisters, Freda Strobel, of Rapid City, S.D., and LaVida Merchant, of Weslaco, Texas; two sisters-in-law: Emma Rau, of Rapid City and Violet Rau, of Mobridge, S.D.

Virginia was preceded in death by her husband, Ken on June 13, 2011; her parents, John and Emelia (Knodel) Rau; and two brothers: Reinhold Rau and Leo Rau.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Le Mars Bible Church, with Pastor Fred Gums and Pastor Mike Hulinsky officiating. Interment will be at Resthaven Cemetery, rural Le Mars. Visitation with the family present will begin at 4 p.m. Friday, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., all at the Le Mars Bible Church. Visitation will continue on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. until the service. Arrangements are with the Carlsen Funeral Home of Le Mars.

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." Jude 24, 25.