Marjory M. Koch, 91, was “Promoted to Glory,” going home to the Lord on Sunday evening June 26, 2005, 210 days short of her 67th wedding anniversary. She and her husband Albert served God as Salvation Army Officers for 42 years, retiring in January 1978.

She was born August 7, 1913 in Traverse City, Mich., to recently widowed Elsie Mirovsky, her father having died in a freak logging accident. She gained a wonderful step father, Melvin Gokee, at age three and he loved and cared for her. They moved to Petoskey, Mich. where a Salvationist invited her to Sunday School at age 12 and Marjory grew to love the Lord and The Salvation Army. She graduated from high school in Boyne City, Mich., and went to The Salvation Army’s School for Officer’s Training in Chicago in 1934 where she met Cadet Albert Koch and their love grew.

Marjory served in the Detroit Grandale Corps (church) and then Petoskey, Mich. Then she and Albert were married July 6, 1938 and they served together in Petosdkey for one year before being transferred to Ypsilanti, Mich. From there they were sent to Detroit Brightmoor then Detroit Grandale Corps, then Ann Arbor, and on to Milwaukee, Wis. in 1950. From there they were sent to Saulte Ste. Marie, Mich., then St. Louis, Mo., and in 1960 to Grand Rapids, Mich. where Albert weas the Divisional Youth Secretary and Marjory weas Divisional Guard and Sunbeam Director (similar to Brownies and Girl Scouts but church based).

They went back to St. Louis in 1963 in the same positions there, then on to Des Moines, Iowa in 1965 where Marjory also ran the Salvation Army’s Camp Laurie. In 1967 Albert and Marjory were sent to Milwaukee again but not the church. Albert was the Divisional Secretary and Marjory the Divisional League of Mercy Secretary and Director of Armt Lake Camp for three summers. In 1972 they were sent to the Territorial Headquarters of The Salvation Army for the Central US where Albert was Assistant Property Secretary and Marjory was the Territorial Representative for the Aging until retirement in January 1978.

They moved to Sacramento, Calif., and stayed there enjoying retirement, moving to Oak Harbor the spring of 2001 to be close to their daughter and son-in-law. They have enjoyed Christian fellowship and the Oak Harbor Christian Reformed Church and made many friends at what is now Regency on Whidbey before Marjory fell ill and needed more care. She has been well cared for her last two months at the McKinley North Whidbey Adult Family Home and her family is grateful.

Marjory is survived by her husband Albert; son Ron and his wife Aija in Oakland, Calif., son Jerry and his wife Janice in Denver, Colo., and a daughter Sharlene (Shari) Harrison and her husband Bob in Oak Harbor. She also left eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Marjory loved her Lord most of all and spent her life telling others that Jesus loved them and wanted to be their Lord too.

Burial will be Friday, July 1, at Maple Leaf Cemetery followed by a memorial service at Oak Harbor Christian Reformed Church at 2 p.m. with Pastor Harold Veldman officiating. Arrangements are being handled by Burley Funeral Chapel.

Memorials may be sent to The Salvation Army or the Oak Harbor Christian Reformed Church’s Benevolence Fund.