An Ottawa Icon will be laid to rest today. Luther Koch, a fixture on the Ottawa streets for the past several decades, passed away January 6th. Known for walking the streets, greeting people with a wave and smiling to anyone who needed it, Luther could also be seen singing his favorite county songs into a microphone and, for a while, carried a big “boom box’ with him. He would make daily stops in many Ottawa businesses, just to say hi. With some, he would wait in front of the door until he was noticed inside and then wave and point to the person inside. One door he frequented was the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce office. Ottawa Chamber President, John Coen, says Luther will be missed and his laugh, singing and daily conversations are irreplaceable.
The Ottawa Main Street Association says a Downtown Memorial to Luther is in the works. More information will be available soon. Memorial service for Luther Koch are this morning at 10:00 at Dengel and Son Mortuary in Ottawa.
