Longtime Naperville teacher had lasting impact on mayor

Irene M. Kocher’s obituary says the longtime Naperville resident will be remembered as a teacher at Elmwood and Maplebrook elementary schools.

But a well-known former student has fond memories of Kocher going all the way back to a one-room schoolhouse along Naperville Road.

“She was the first teacher who really made an impression on me,” Naperville Mayor George Pradel said.

Kocher died Thursday at Edward Hospital in Naperville. She was 90.

Born in Wisconsin, Kocher moved to Naperville as an infant. She graduated from Ss. Peter & Paul Grade School, Naperville Community High School and Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. She earned a master’s degree from the National College of Education.

Pradel said Kocher was a young teacher in her early 20s when she taught him for two of his eight years at the schoolhouse.

“She just brought real life to our school,” recalled Pradel. “Irene was the apple of all of our eyes because she was such a beautiful person.”

Kocher enjoyed music, Pradel said, and frequently would put new words to classic songs to help her students better relate. And she immediately recognized Pradel’s interest in singing.

“She would always tell me, ‘You have such a good voice, use it,’” he said.

The mayor said he has clear memories of Kocher riding her bicycle to school and how the older boys in class usually were in charge of stoking the coal furnace on cold winter days.

Kocher eventually became close friends with Naperville developer Harold Moser and his wife Margaret and with “Dick Tracy” cartoonist Dick Locher.

But she also knew many area farmers, and agriculture was always part of her lesson plans. “It was just so practical,” Pradel said.

Pradel said he remained in touch with Kocher through the years and never forgot her influence. Thanks in part to her encouragement, he still frequently breaks into song. And thanks to the lessons she taught him, Pradel said, he’s worked hard to build a team atmosphere during his tenure as Naperville’s longest-serving mayor.

“She made the whole school work together,” he said, “and some of that rubbed off on me.”

Visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, at Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home, 44 S. Mill St, Naperville. A Mass will be 9:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 27, at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, 36 N. Ellsworth St., Naperville. Kocher’s nephew, the Rev. Don Kocher, will be officiating.

Internment will take place at Ss. Peter & Paul Cemetery in Naperville.