Eileen Gloria Hoch

Eileen Gloria Hoch, age 94 of Cottage Grove, MN passed away peacefully on June 28, 2025 after a long struggle with memory loss.

Eileen was born on September 28, 1930 to Albert Herbert Anderson and Freida Anderson (Benz) in Oregon, IL. Eileen fondly remembered her father helping her to learn to read after which she became an avid reader.

Her family moved to Minneapolis following the untimely death of her beloved father when she was just 14. Eileen worked various jobs including at Woolworth’s in downtown Minneapolis to help her family and put herself through college. She recalled riding the Minneapolis streetcars to and from work downtown and a kindly streetcar driver who would sometimes slow his streetcar down when he saw her running to catch a ride late at night.

With her love of reading she studied Library Science at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree on June 14, 1952. She later graduated with a Master’s degree from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, MN.

She met her beloved husband, Wendel Joseph Hoch while they were both working in the Farmington, MN Public School District in the 1950’s. They were married on July 16, 1955 and had one son, John Hoch. Eileen was the librarian at Park Senior High School in Cottage Grove, MN for many years from the 1960’s into the 1980’s.

Eileen was an avid gardener and after retirement she enjoyed making floral arrangements, wreaths, and swags and selling them at local craft shows for many years. She named her business Country Flowers and used many flowers from her own garden that she dried.

She greatly enjoyed nature including the birds, butterflies, and other wildlife that visited her home in the woods. She loved walking in the woods and seeing the wildflowers and new fawns in Spring.

She enjoyed playing Jeopardy!, Scrabble, and going out with friends including from the Red Hat Society. She enjoyed travelling and especially loved her trips to New Orleans and her hometown of Oregon, IL.

She will be greatly missed for her kind, sweet, loving nature and warm smile. May she rest in peace with her beloved husband and father.

Eileen is survived by her loving son, John Hoch; sister-in-law, Elaine Schlemmer; nephew, David (Becky) Stendahl; great-niece, Laura Seely; great-nephew, Eric (Vanessa) Meyer and their children Taylor, Avery, and Emersyn.

Eileen was preceded in death by her husband Wendel Joseph Hoch; parents Albert and Freida (Benz) Anderson; siblings Alva (Andy) Anderson, Erma (Duane) Whipkey; and other siblings.

A Celebration of Life Gathering will be from 4:30 - 7:30 PM on Thursday, July 24, 2025 at Kok Funeral Home, 7676 80th Street S, Cottage Grove, MN 55016. Interment will take place at Newport MN Cemetery next to her beloved husband at a later date.