Dolores Mae Koch

Obituary

Dolores Mae Koch

February 23, 1950- February 6, 2026

Dolores Mae Koch, 75, passed away peacefully at her home in Worland, Wyoming, on February 6, 2026.

She was born February 23, 1950, in Fairfax, Virginia, to Robert "Bob" and Mary (Jones) Hoppe. As a young teenager, Dolores moved to Pennsylvania in 1962, where she graduated from North Potter High School. She went on to attend Rochester Business School in New York, later transferring to South Dakota Business College, where she attended with her brother, Tom.

Through Tom, Dolores met her future husband, Dennis Koch. The two were married on November 26, 1971. Early in their marriage, they lived in Naples, Florida, where they welcomed two children: Dawn and Rob.

When Dennis was offered a position with the Wyoming Daily News, Dolores and Dennis packed up their young family and headed west to Worland, a place they would proudly call home for the rest of their lives. Here they completed their family with their third child, Jay.

While her children were young, Dolores stayed busy babysitting neighborhood kids and decorating cakes for families around town. Once her children were in school, she began volunteering at the library, reading during story hour. She did such a wonderful job that she was soon offered a position as a librarian, a role she held throughout her children's school years.

One moment that perfectly captured Dolores's heart occurred when a deaf child began attending story time. Not wanting her to feel left out, Dolores spent her evenings teaching herself sign language so she could sign while she read. Making people feel seen, included, and loved came naturally to her.

Dolores was patient, loving, and deeply family-oriented. Whatever her family needed, she made it happen. There was always a home-cooked meal on the table and fresh cookies waiting in the cookie jar. She was the classroom mom, the Girl Scout leader, an active member of the Homemakers Association, and a founding member of the Worland Red Hat Society.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Bob and Mary Hoppe, and by her beloved husband, Dennis Koch.

Dolores is survived by her daughter, Dawn (Ken) Rishel of Worland; sons, Rob (Stephanie) Koch and Jay Koch (Margarita Bower), both of Worland; brother, Tom (Lucille) Hoppe of Pennsylvania; sisters, Tina (Gary) Hamilton of Pennsylvania and Leota Rose of Ohio; grandchildren, Dakota Rishel, Charles (Kinsley) Rishel, Colt (Sunny) Rishel, Donavin Koch, Kadin Koch, Daimon Taylor, Nicholas (Lesha) Bower, and Joshua Bower; and great-grandchildren, Levi and Cooper.

A Memorial Service will be held 11:00 AM, Saturday April 25, 2026 at the Bryant Funeral Home Chapel with Tim Martinson officiating. Online condolences may be shared at www.bryantfuneralhomeonline.com.