Katherine Russell

Katherine Koch Russell, 71, of Aurora, died from the Coronavirus on Thursday, May 28, 2020.

Kathy was born on October 1, 1948, to Joe and Helen Koch of Elgin.

Kathy earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.  She and her future husband John met at SIU. They moved to Aurora in 1974, and were married on Dec. 14, 1974.

In the late 1970s, Kathy was a jobs counselor for the Federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act program, based in Elgin.

Their twin sons Jay and Ted and youngest son Mike all were students in the East Aurora School District, and Kathy became a substitute teacher for more than 20 years at John W. Gates Elementary School, Waldo Middle School and East Aurora High School. Kathy was very involved in the East Aurora schools, serving as PTA president at Gates Elementary, Waldo Middle School, East High and for the East Aurora School District PTA Council.

For more than 10 years, Kathy worked as a receptionist and secretary in the Newsroom of The Beacon-News. She greeted readers coming into the Newsroom for information, and wrote press releases and community calendars. She enjoyed writing the weekly Calendar of Events, where she promoted community and arts activities in Aurora, the Fox Valley, Chicago and around the region.

She is survived by her husband, John, of Aurora; sons Jay and Ted of Chicago, and Mike of Los Angeles; and brothers and sisters Peggy Koch of Elgin,  Ginny (Ron) Horan of Elgin, Tom (Deb) Koch of Elgin, Mary (Tony) Edwards of Frisco, Texas, and Bill (Inger) Koch of DeKalb; many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Kathy was preceded in death by her father Joe, her mother Helen, and her sister Barb.

Dieterle Memorial Home in Montgomery is handling the arrangements.  A memorial service will be held in the future.

Visit www.dieterlememorialhome.com