George C. Pirch, Jr., beloved teacher and coach, passed away on Saturday, April 22, 2017, after a long battle with cancer. He was born on May 16, 1933 in Henrietta, Missouri to the late George and Irma (Lilly) Pirch.
After graduating from Richmond High School in 1951, he went on to study at the University of Missouri – Columbia where he played football for three years, was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and earned a BS in Education (1955), MEd (1965), and MA Geography (1973). He served five years in the United States Air Force (1955-1960) during which time he met and made several lifelong friends around the world and developed a love of travel.
Through his teaching and coaching, he touched the lives of many students both in his hometown of Richmond, MO, where he taught and coached from 1960-1971, and in Oak Grove, MO, where he taught from 1974-2001 and coached from 1974-2016. His students most often thanked him
for teaching them about the “proper handshake” and school spirit. He was an active member of the United Methodist Church, serving as a youth leader and Sunday School teacher for over 50 years.
Last year, he and his wife Ruth Ann (Hertzog) Pirch celebrated 50 years of marriage. She survives, as do daughters Carla Purkey (Shannon) and Gretchen Qualls (Karl) and four grandchildren, Hayden Qualls, Savannah Purkey, Olivia Purkey, and Hadley Qualls. He is also survived by his brother James W. Pirch (Kay), sister Joline Murphy (Bill), two nieces, Jennifer Gauch (Scott) and Kelly Murphy, and many other family members and friends.
Visitation will be on Saturday, April 29, 2017 from 10:00am-2:00pm in the Oak Grove High School Gymnasium. A Celebration of Life Service will begin at 2:00pm in the Oak Grove High School Gymnasium to be followed immediately with interment at Oak Grove Cemetery.
Please wear your school colors in honor of Coach’s ever-enduring school spirit.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to:
1. American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc. Payable to: ACS-CAN, 2409 Hyde Park Road, Jefferson City, MO 65109
2. Coach Pirch Memorial Scholarship Payable to: Oak Grove School District Education Foundation or OGSDEF, 601 SE 12th Street, Oak Grove, MO 64075 – please record “Coach Pirch” on the memo line. You can also give online at https://www.thcf.org/Your-Giving/Give
3. Oak Grove United Methodist Church Payable to: Oak Grove UMC Memorial Fund, 1502 SE Harding, Oak Grove, MO 64075
Arrangements: Royer Funeral Home, Oak Grove, MO 816-690-4441