Robert Alan “John” Soch

After serving in the U.S. Coast Guard in WWII, he attended Millsaps College and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the Haslam College of Business at The University of Tennessee in 1952.

After graduation, John returned to Fredonia to work with his mother at the Soch Insurance Agency. He took over ownership of the agency in 1963 and continued until 1992 when he merged with Chautauqua General and Heppell-Robinson Agency to form The Tradition Agency. He was inducted as a member of Lloyd’s of London in 1978.

John was very active within the Northern Chautauqua community throughout his life. He was the driving force for the creation of the Fredonia chapter of the Jaycees and was elected the first president of the newly formed chapter in 1961. He served as a director of Liberty Bank in 1961. He was a member of the SUNY Fredonia Board of Trustees from 1977 to 1979 and was an active member of the SUNY Fredonia Foundation for many years, serving as first chairman for the corporate fundraising campaign in 1993.

An avid motor sports enthusiast; he pursued anything that involved speed and an engine. He raced cars in his youth, participating in the first opening weekend at the new Watkins Glen race track in 1956 with his Lotus Mark 11. He continued racing at various tracks with his Lotus and his MG MGA in the ’50s and ’60s. He was a private pilot for many years, owning a series of planes, surviving the failure of two landings and one takeoff. He also enjoyed his offshore racing boats on Lake Erie with friends in Van Buren Bay. He was a longtime member of Shorewood Country Club and enjoyed participating in the annual H.K. Williams Memorial Tournament with his childhood friend Dana Wheelock. Later in life, he pursued tennis with friends in Fredonia and the Delray Beach Club near his home in Florida. He also enjoyed the Thursday night pingpong games with the Water Street Association.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother James H. Soch and son Alan C. Soch.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, JoAnn nee Lyden, whom he married on Dec. 14, 1957 in Youngstown, OH; a sister, Barbara (David) Cook of Grand Island, New York; and six children, Robert L. Soch of Fredonia, Ann (David) Hudgins of Alexandria, VA, Karen (Lee) Poore of Alexandria, VA, John Soch of Delray Beach, FL, David Soch of Alexandria, VA, and Kimberly (Mike) Hart of Alexandria, VA; as well as 10 grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend funeral services, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 2 at noon at the Larson-Timko Funeral Home, 20 Central Avenue, Fredonia. Calling hours will be Friday from 6-8 p.m. and Saturday from 10-noon at the funeral home. Burial will be at Forest Hill Cemetery with a reception to immediately follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, 212 Lake Shore Drive W., Dunkirk, N.Y. 14048

Arrangements by David J. Dengler.