Final Salute

Patrick Shepard Couch passed away peacefully on July 18th, 2023, at the age of 88. He was born December 26, 1934, to Robert W. and Helen J. Couch in Jefferson City, Missouri. He attended school there graduating in 1952 from St. Peters High School. He went on to study engineering in college, graduating from Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and after completing Officer Candidate School at Newport, Rhode Island, he was commissioned and ordered to serve in the Public Works Department at Mare Island Naval Shipyard; the Naval Hospital at the Marine Corps Base in Camp Pendleton, California; and finally at the Marine Corps Base at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Altogether, Patrick’s active-duty service with the Navy covered almost five years. He returned to civilian life and to Missouri School of Mines and in the summer of 1964 received his master’s degree in civil engineering. He continued his military service later that year after moving to Sacramento, California, and served for another 18 years in the Naval Reserves (Seabees), rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. In his civilian life, he worked for the State of California as a design engineer for the Department of Water Resources on the California Aqueduct, Napa’s turnout reservoir and its pipeline surge tank. After 4 years at DWR, he transferred to Caltrans and over the next 13 years he wrote construction contract specifications and worked on subventions for city and county road projects. In 1980 he transferred to the Department of Parks and Recreation, from which he retired in December 1984.

Patrick loved the great outdoors, especially creeks, hunting and fishing, and did his best to pass that love and appreciation on to his children. He deeply loved El Dorado County, where he and his family settled in 1967, and he especially loved the hills, streams and meadows surrounding Pleasant Valley, including Sly Park Lake, Clear Creek, and the Cosumnes River. Patrick believed in conservation, and for several years he helped the El Dorado Rod & Gun Club do monthly cleanups of illegal dump sites in El Dorado National Forest.

Patrick had a wry, self-deprecating sense of humor. He always loved a simple, clever joke. He was a devout Catholic, although attending Mass became physically difficult for him in his later years. While he was never one to ask for favors for himself, he would ask you to pray for the peaceful repose of his soul. He would certainly say with a smile that he would do the same for you if he indeed made it to the great campground in the sky.

Patrick was preceded in death by his brother, William Robert Couch, his sisters Mary Bob Palermo and Marilyn “Susie” Couch, and his former wife Peggy Helen Couch, who passed away in December 2022. He is survived by his six children, and 12 grandchildren: Kevin Couch, (Jenny Anderson; Colin); Kitty (Katherine) Light (Nicole Alvarez (Matt) and Ethan Suaste (Charla); Julie Dunn (Tony; Chrystal Garrett (Joe) and Melissa Mutzig (Scott); Sara Easterbrook (Keith; Ian Lange, Amelia Hughes(Sean), and Elizabeth Easterbrook); Rachel Couch (Natalie Hurt); and Tony (Anthony) Couch (Sequoya Campbell, Kai Lee Campbell, and Denali Campbell). Patrick also leaves behind six great-grandchildren: Clayton Garrett, Evelyn Mutzig, Alison Mutzig, Spencer Mutzig, Isaiah Morgan, and Jett Alvarez.

Services will be held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, at a later date.

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