Gilbert E. Loch, age 77

Cold Spring
August 1, 1939 – May 14, 2017

Gilbert E. Loch, age 77, was called to heaven on May 14, 2017, at Quiet Oaks Hospice surrounded by family after a courageous battle with multiple myeloma cancer. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Cold Spring on May 18 at 1:30 p.m.  Friends and family may visit from 4 – 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 17 at the Wenner Funeral Home, Cold Spring.  Parish Prayers will be at 8:00 p.m.  Visitation will continue Thursday afternoon from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

Gil was born the second child of Christ and Betty (Hommerding) Loch on August 1, 1939. Gil’s father passed just prior to his birth and 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 eight. 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. On May 9, 1964, he married the love of his life, June Arnold, in Watkins, MN at the Church of St. Anthony.  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 is survived by his wife of 53 years, June; sons and daughters Karen (Jeff) Hengel, St. Cloud; Dave (Joanne) Loch, Lansing, KS; Jim (Jill) Loch, Rice; Bob (Suzy) Loch, Ankeny, IA and Sonia (Aaron) Nordmann, Sartell,  nine grandchildren Megan Hengel, Anna Loch, Abby Loch, Travis (Carrie) Loch, Liz (Stephen) Dolence, Henry Loch, Ava Loch, Andrew (Melissa) Hessler, Aidan Hessler, and one great-granddaughter Elaina Loch; brothers and sisters Bernice (Ron) Poepping, Dick (Barb) Weber, Sharon (Dave) Mockenhaupt, and Jerome (Marilyn) Weber and aunt Alma Krueger.

Gil was preceded in death by his mother Betty, father Christ, step-father Edwin, sister Alice Poepping and niece Donna Loso.

Arrangements are with the Wenner Funeral Home, Cold Spring.