Gilbert Loch of Cold Spring, formerly of Kimball, died Sunday, May 14, 2017, at Quiet Oaks Hospice surrounded by family after a courageous battle with multiple myeloma cancer. He was 77.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 18, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Cold Spring. Friends and family may visit from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at the Wenner Funeral Home in Cold Spring; parish prayers will be at 8 p.m. Visitation will continue Thursday afternoon from noon-1 p.m. at the funeral home.
Gil was born the second child of Christ and Betty (Hommerding) Loch Aug. 1, 1939. Gil’s father died just before Gil’s birth, so they lived with his maternal grandparents on the family farm. When he and his sister were school age, they moved into Cold Spring. His mother married Edwin Weber when he was 8. They lived in St. Cloud and Albany before settling in Kimball where his parents operated Weber’s General Store. Gil graduated from Kimball High School. He enlisted in the Navy from 1957-1960 spending time in Adak, Alaska, and Okinawa, Japan, as a communications technician. After the Navy, he worked as a relief man at train stations for the Soo Line Railroad in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota for five years. He then worked for 36 years at Cold Spring Granite until his retirement in 2002. He married the love of his life June Arnold May 9, 1964 at the Church of St. Anthony in Watkins. They lived and raised their family of five children in Cold Spring. Family was always an important part of life. Gil loved a good game of cards, an exhilarating run or walk, bike rides, planning and working in their garden, a woodworking project, and catching a mess of sun fish with a fish fry to follow.
Gil was preceded in death by his mother Betty, father Christ, stepfather Edwin, sister Alice Poepping, and niece Donna Loso.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years June; children Karen (and Jeff) Hengel of St. Cloud, Dave (and Joanne) Loch of Lansing, Kan., Jim (and Jill) Loch of Rice, Bob (and Suzy) Loch of Ankeny, Iowa, and Sonia (and Aaron) Nordman of Sartell; nine grandchildren: Megan Hengel, Anna Loch, Abby Loch, Travis (and Carrie) Loch, Liz (and Stephen) Dolence, Henry Loch, Ava Loch, Andrew (and Melissa) Hessler, Aidan Hessler; and one great-granddaughter Elaina Loch; brothers and sisters Bernice (and Ron) Poepping, Dick (and Barb) Weber, Sharon (and Dave) Mockenhaupt, and Jerome (and Marilyn) Weber; and aunt Alma Krueger.