HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF KATHLEEN ANNE KOCH

Quick facts

Record: House Floor
Section type: Recognition
Chamber: House
Date: May 13, 2026
Congress: 119th Congress
Why this source matters: This section came from the House floor portion of the record.

Linked context

People mentioned: Kennedy, Timothy M.

Readable version of the official text

Mr. Kennedy of New York was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.)

Mr. KENNEDY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life and legacy of Kathleen Anne Koch, who passed away on March 17, 2026, at the age of 78.

Kathy was a devoted wife and mother, a proud grandmother, and, above

all, a relentless fighter for justice.

Born on January 20, 1948, to Michael and Jeanne Honan, Kathy learned

at a young age the importance of community, looking out for your neighbor, and never backing down from doing what is right.

Kathy grew up in South Buffalo, where she met her husband, Wally. Together, they shared a marriage of 52 years filled with laughter, partnership, and an unwavering devotion to family.

Kathy and Wally lived a true love story. They met at a New Year's Eve celebration near McKinley Parkway and got married shortly after at St. Teresa's Church. They were inseparable. They devoted every waking moment to one another and, in the process, created a lifetime full of beautiful memories.

Kathy began a career as an employment counselor at the Erie County Department of Social Services. For decades, she helped people find dignity, stability, and economic security. She saw people not as cases but as neighbors, often celebrating their victories as if they were her own.

She didn't stop there. Kathy frequently followed up to make sure that those she helped stayed on a path toward success. That is who she was. She never did the bare minimum. She poured her whole heart into helping others each and every day.

She passed that calling on to her children, my dear friends, Melanie,

Mike, and Walt, each of whom followed in their mother's footsteps and chose a life of service.

Melanie became a supervisor of special education for the Buffalo

Public Schools, helping students with special needs to reach their full potential.

Mike, my former classmate and the best OT to come out of our class at

D'Youville University, works as an occupational therapist, helping patients regain independence following traumatic injuries.

Walt, one of the most selfless public servants I have ever had the

privilege to work with, serves as deputy district director and senior caseworker in my Buffalo office, where he dedicates every day to the betterment of our community.

Kathy instilled in her children a deep belief in the power of civic

duty and the promise of our democracy. Inspired by leaders like President John F. Kennedy, Kathy believed that if you want to see change, you must fight for it.

Kathy never missed an election. She never sat on the sidelines. She knew that one voice could make a difference, and she used her own for the betterment of our community.

Kathy was a happy warrior in the fight for a better world. Her compassion was evident in the small, quiet acts that revealed the depth of her character.

Kathy was also an avid Buffalo Bills fan who never missed a game. In 1974, when she was nearly 9 months pregnant with identical twins Mike and Walton, she went to Rich Stadium for a Bills playoff game. When the Bills lost their first Super Bowl, she forced her children to skip school to go to the rally in front of Buffalo City Hall to welcome her beloved Bills home.

Kathy passed away on St. Patrick's Day, her favorite day of the year, surrounded by her entire family. Like many South Buffalonians, she was proud of her Irish heritage and loved celebrating her roots alongside those she loved.