William Louis James Loesch passed peacefully of natural causes on September 1, 2020, at age 93, after a long struggle with dementia.  He was a son, a husband, a brother, a friend, a father, a grandfather and a great-grandfather.  Bill was born on October 8, 1926 in Jamestown, North Dakota, the fourth child of Nicholas and Caroline (Zink) Loesch.  He grew up on the family farm in Melville, ND.  He had to leave Carrington High School early because of a shortage of young men to work the farm during to WWII.  After the War ended, he joined two of his sisters, who had relocated to California with their husbands.  They convinced Bill to come and work as a machinist in the aircraft factories during the winter.

It was at a dance in Los Angeles where he met, (and later married) Beatrice Angeline Moffett in 1957 at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church of Altadena, where he is still a member.  They were married for 62 years, before her death on May 26, 2019.  They had five children together (Raymond, Louis, William, Dennis and Diane).

Bill split his time between farming in the summer in Melville and working as a machinist for such companies as Bell and Howell, Kennedy Company and Vickers Aerospace.  The family spent many summers on the farm in Melville growing wheat, rye, flax and Bill’s favorite, sunflowers.  Bill also built up a business in Pasadena of rental properties and named it “The Madison Square”.

After Bill retired from both farming and as a supervisor at Kennedy Company, he tried his hand at golf (but he wasn’t very good)! However, he excelled at a new hobby that brought him back to his farming roots – growing championship chrysanthemums!  He was a member of the San Gabriel Valley and the Orange County Chrysanthemum Society.  He won several prizes and blue ribbons for his flowers at both local and state competitions including California, Nevada, Washington and Virginia.  At any time, he had hundreds of species of mums in individual pots growing in his back yard.  Bill also enjoyed puttering around his rental properties, acting as property manager and handyman.

William is survived by his loving family, sons Raymond (Cynthia) and William “Bill” (Ginger); daughter Diane (Lee) Klein; seven grandchildren, Laura (Benjamin) Harrison, Jennifer (Ignacio) Maqueda, Stephen Loesch, Claire Loesch, Samuel Loesch, Hunter Klein, Tyler Klein; a great-grandson, William Harrison; a great-granddaughter, Baby Girl Maqueda (Coming November 2020); 10 nieces and nephews, 18 great-nieces and nephews and 12 great-great nieces and nephews.  He is preceded in death by his parents Nicolas & Caroline (Zink) Loesch, his wife, Beatrice (Moffett) Loesch (May 26, 2019, and two sons Dennis L. Loesch (October 4, 2016) and Louis J. Loesch (January 14, 1999), his brother, Jack Loesch and his sisters, Bonita (Loesch) Tucker, LaVonne Loesch and Monica (Loesch) Linberg.

A private family visitation was held at Cabot and Sons in Pasadena, CA on Sunday, September 6, 2020.   

In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions The Carrington Cemetery, in Memory of William L.J. Loesch, PO Box 355 Carrington ND 58421 or The North Dakota Future Farmers of America, in Memory of William L.J. Loesch at www.ndffafoundation.com

Cards and condolences may be sent to:
William E. Loesch
c/o Loesch Family
1752 N. Mar Vista Ave | Pasadena, CA 91104

 

Visitation will be Friday, September 11, 2020, 5:00PM – 6:45PM, a Rosary Service at 6:45PM followed by a Prayer Service at 7:00PM, all at Evans Funeral Home, Carrington, ND.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, September, 12, 2020, at 10:00AM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Carrington, ND. A luncheon will follow the burial at Sacred Heart Parish Hall.

Burial will be held at the Carrington Cemetery