Did your family see Dr. Gary Koch over the years? Did you ever call him in the middle of the night? We did too.

Help us recognize Dr. Koch's community dedication with a donation to new graduates.

Dr. Gary Koch served Vashon patients for 40 years and continues his strong community leadership now that he has retired.

If you and your family saw Dr. Koch, you likely know of his professionalism, broad medical knowledge, incredible memory, and especially his compassion. His phone number has always remained a listed number, open to the community. He continues as an active singer with the Vashon Opera and the Vashon Island Chorale.

He nutured a long series of other phyicians and medical professionals over the years. Today we would like to announce a community effort to recognize his many contributions to us.

Vashon Community Scholarship Foundation (VCSF) solicits and coordinates financial support from the community for graduating seniors wishing to continue their education and training, distributing over $2 million in scholarships since 1986. VCSF is designated by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) non-profit and thus all donations to the Dr. Gary Koch Scholarship are tax-deductible.

This scholarship is awarded to 'a student who demonstrates high achievement and dedication in any field of endeavor. Special consideration may be given to students with broad interests, which may include the sciences, humanities, the arts and technical fields.'

Gary Koch has performed as a tenor for over a dozen Vashon Opera productions.

He is a frequent soloist with the Vashon Island Chorale and in local recitals and benefits. He performed the Beethoven song cycle an die ferne Geliebte with Rowena Hammill as part of the 2017 Beethoven Marathon. In March 2018 he sang Erlkönig and other Schubert lieder as part of Michael Tracy’s lecture series at Vashon Center for the Arts.

Other Vashon Opera roles include Mr. Splinters in The Tender Land, the Captain in The Barber of Seville, Imperial Commissioner in Madama Butterfly, Captain Petrovich in Eugene Onegin, Dottore Spinelloccio, in Gianni Schicchi, Brühlmann in Werther, and a citizen in I Pagliacci. He has also sung the roles of Tamino in The Magic Flute, Bob in The Old Maid and the Thief, Ben in The Telephone and Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas.

Musical theater roles include Tommy in Brigadoon, Strephon in Iolanthe, Freddy in My Fair Lady, Koko in The Mikado, Ralph in H.M.S. Pinafore, and Tito in Lend Me a Tenor. Gary studied with the late William Eddy.

Read more about Gary's contributions over the years in a href="loop.htm">Dr. Kappelman's article from the Vashon Loop.

The Beachcomber's page 1 article has a great series of interviews with patients and colleagues of Dr. Koch.

We would like to see as many donations as possible to recognize Dr. Koch's work, so please contibute whatever you can to demonstrate your appreciation for his work - and to advance the career of young graduates just starting out in their careers!