SMA IS HURTING (#45B): We are is small, close knit community, and we our deeply saddened by our loses. Richard was a member of our men’s group, Amigos Golosos.
OBITUARY: Richard H. Hoch
Richard Homer Hoch died on January 23rd, 2021 at the age of 83 years old. He died of COVID, this devastating disease that he fought bravely, with great strength and determination.
Richard was born in Cleveland Ohio on April 5th, 1938, to Wharton Hoch and Betty Wilson. He was raised in Marion Kansas, by his father and his loving stepmother Nadine (Case) Hoch. He grew up in Marion, helping his father with the family newspaper, The Marion Record. He had a nasty but proud scar on his left foot where a can of molten lead had fallen while setting type at 8 years old.
Richard graduated from University Kansas with a degree in business, where he met and married the love of his life Nancy (DeLong) Hoch. He later graduated with a Law Degree from the University of Missouri in Kansas City. Never afraid of hard work, he paid his way through school working as a switch man on the Santa Fe Railroad.
He was from a well respected political and newspaper family in Kansas. His Great Grandfather EW Hoch was Governor of the State of Kansas and a renowned orator. His grandfather Homer Hoch a Congressman and Supreme Court Justice. In 1964 he and his wife Nancy, moved to Nebraska City, Ne (her hometown) to settle down, start his law practice and their family.
Richard celebrated a successful law career that spanned over 50 years in the State of Nebraska. From 1969-1971 he was the Attorney to the Governor under Norbert Tiemann and before that County Attorney in Otoe County, serving 3 years. He acted as Legal counsel to the Nebraska City School Board for over 20 years. He was also one of the instigators of Fort Teen a youth facility in the 1970s.
He was a long time active member of the Nebraska City Elks Clubs and served as the Exalted Ruler. Richard joined Rotary Club in Nebraska City in 1964, where he was the President for two separate terms and continued to be a member until his death. He could be found most mornings during his young legal career at the men’s coffee clutch in the basement of the bank. A great fraternity of local businessmen who met daily for coffee, doughnuts and banter.
He loved to travel, sailboats, cars and later in life developed a pasión for motorcycles.
Richard was an Elder in the First Presbyterian Church where he also taught a high school Sunday School class for several years. He hung the American flag out before he went to work and took it in before bed, almost everyday of his adult life, a proud and patriotic American. He was also a huge supporter, speech writer, driver, the rudder and anchor for his wife’s political and professional career.
He was a modern man before it was popular to be so. Richard was the first and only Gringo to be gored by a bull in San Miguel de Allende, this during the very first Pamplonada, “running of the bulls” (in 1973). It was his favorite story and he wore it like a badge!! But he was first a family man, baked bread, spent weekends doing yard work, playing with his kids and always made the best Sunday brunches around. He coached little league, built playhouses, volunteered for different organizations and was a father figure to several kids in his neighborhood. He made wills for little old ladies who could only pay with homemade preserves and farmers who paid with sweet corn or pork.
Richard is survived by his wife Nancy, his dear stepmother Nadine Hoch and his 3 children: Sarah Hoch and her husband Ernesto Herrara, of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Richard Hoch II and his wife Kristie, of Tucson Arizona and Hannah Hoch of San Miguel de Allende, México. 5 grandchildren: Santiago, Nancy, Richard, Joshua and Coco. 2 great grandchildren: Eli and Johan. He is also survived by his 7 of his 8 brothers and sisters: Robert Hoch, Beverly Hoch Steinel, James Hoch, William Hoch, Jane Wilson and John Wilson.
He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Sue Wilson.
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