CLETUS AND LUCY KOCHER FAMILY

…a man of faith who tilled the earth; a loving heart who gave us birth—such were the personages of our dad and mother; Cletus Kocher and his bride at 27, Lucy Sittler.

Dad was born in Olney Illinois, (Richland County). He moved when quite small to Jasper County where I remember most of his anecdotes of childhood lore spilling forth. Dad never had the opportunity to finish eight grades. He attended, intermittently, the Pond Grove School in that country.

The oldest of ten children, at age 21, he came North. He secured a job in Sycamore as a farm hand. From there he hired out to Harry Gregory in Wheaton as a farmhand also. In 1928, Harry opened an opportunity for him to work a farm for Fred Jorgensen, who took over the business of his father Bert. Bert passed away and left a widow with eight children. Dad worked and resided there for two years. At that time, Fred settled the widow in the town of Naperville. It was at this time that Dad began to rent the farm. It was this year; 1930, that Dad took Lucy Sittler (a neighbor of Harry’s), as his bride and they pledged themselves to a lifelong vocation of marriage and child-raising. They homesteaded the “Bonnie View Farm.”

Mother attended St Michael’s Parochial School in Wheaton, Illinois. She graduated from the Christie Grade School on Naperville-Wheaton Road. She, too, came from a family of ten. Being without a mother at the age of three, she learned quite early to take care of a home and pitch in on household duties. She made our home a wonderfully warm place to be.

The farm, consisting of 242 acres, was located on the south and north sides of North Aurora Road. There were 30 acres to the west of Route 59 also. The neatly-kept buildings (one of which was a beautiful metal tool shed that marked the farm for miles), stood on the northeast corner of Route 59 and North Aurora Road.

As I recall, the “factory-bustling” road of today at one time was one of the most picturesque in DuPage County. I can remember having my picture snapped one day as I was bringing home the cows from pasture along the path lined with rustling leaves of cottonwood trees. (I must add that as all kids of that age. I didn’t appreciate my heritage quite as much at the moment of the shot as I do today!) Dairying, farming, gardening, etc., brought us through the days of the depression.

At about 1966 Dad sold 80 acres to the south of North Aurora Road: 8 to Harold Adams, 21 to Archie Gagne and the remaining to Burlington Industrial Park. He was able then to purchase the remainder of the farm from Fred Jorgensen.

In keeping the tradition, ten children were born to Clete and Lucy. They are: Donald, (Rev Kocher), Hinsdale, Alvin, electrician, wed to Joan Streff, Bristol: Richard, (deceased), manager of Dynaweld (built on the original acreage), wed to Marilee Diehl, Marywood; Shirley, once employed at Chicago Precast (factory on the original acreage), wed to Walker Grant, Joliet; Delmar; construction foreman, wed to Josie Kocik, Plainfield; Harold Kocher; Religious Brother; Precious Blood Seminary, Liberty. Missouri; Arlene, housewife, mother wed to Richard Rife (deceased), Plainfield; Lucille, medical secretary, R.N., Sugar Grove; Charles, plumber; wed to Nancy Hector, Downers Grove; Diane, housewife, mother; wed to James Bohnstedt, Sandwich, Illinois.

The majority of the children attended the Crosier School, located on the northwest corner of Route 59 and North Aurora Road. The families were all active members of Saints Peter and Paul Church. All the children graduated from what is now known as Naperville Central High School. Together they honored Clete and Lucy with 24 grandchildren.

In 1969 Mother and Dad moved to their retirement home at 138 North Center Street. Mother was able to enjoy only one year of “life in town” as she so often referred to it in her conversations about the golden years to come. In all, they spent 39 years on the farm. Naperville was a community of about 5000 during most of our life on the farm-.. a delightful, clean and close-knit community as I remember it.