Veronica A. Kock

Veronica (Vera) Ann Costello Kock died on February 2nd, 2017 at Israel Family Hospice House in Ames, IA.
Vera was born on October 4th, 1924 in rural Denison, IA, the daughter of Ann V. Powers Costello and Raymond E. Costello. She attended elementary school at Stockholm Township # 7 in Crawford Co. and graduated from St. Ann’s High School in Vail in 1942. Having attended Thompson’s School of Beauty Culture in Des Moines and graduating in 1943, she became a licensed cosmetologist and worked at Couture Beauty Shop in Ames until her wedding.
On October 24th, 1944, she was united in marriage to John H. Kock, Jr. at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Vail. To this union were born 7 children. Vera and John lived with his family on a farm north of Vail from 1944 to 1949. On May 20th, 1948, the young parents purchased the Vail Hardware Co. and soon thereafter moved into a new home in Vail. Vera stayed home caring for her family until 1964 when she started working at their store. She continued helping John operate the business for 27 years, until 1990 when the Hardware was sold.
Vera was a lifelong member of St. Ann’s and served in various offices of the Altar Society. In 1985 she was commissioned by the bishop as a Eucharistic Minister. In addition, she was a member of the Vail Community Club and the American Legion Auxiliary, again holding numerous offices.
Vera was preceded in death by her husband John; her parents; her sister Ila Marie; and her brothers Leonard, Raymond, and Earl. Survivors include her children Keith Kock (Mary) from Cottage Grove, MN; Kathy Doyle from New Prague, MN; Shirley Mauss (Ed) from Carver, MN; Marilyn Wykoff (Jim) from Montezuma, IA; JoAnn Miller (Dan) from Ames, IA; Annette Kock from Yorktown, VA; John J Kock (Diane) from Pleasanton, CA; and a special niece, Regina Todd of Montezuma, IA; 20 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great grandchild, many nieces, nephews, and friends.