Martha Deel Hoch

     Martha Deel Hoch of South Sioux City passed away Tuesday, August 16, 2016 at Regency Square.      Martha (nee Stavrou) Deel Hoch “Nana” was born on May 29, 1935 and raised in Sioux City, Iowa, graduating from Central High School in 1953.  A pillar of strength, she overcame polio as a child, entered a legal career as a young adult and served in private law firms for many years before joining the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa in 1976.  Martha was truly a great lover of life and she retired in 1997 as the Deputy-In-Charge so she could spend time with her family and friends.   There is nothing she wouldn’t do for her daughters or her grandchildren; all held a very special place in her heart.        Martha is survived by her daughters, Laura Deel (Greg) Schaeppi and Kimberly Deel (Christopher) Carroll; her grandchildren, Brianne (Josh) Miller, Cole Carroll, Wesley Schaeppi, Michael Carroll, Hannah Carroll, and Samantha Carroll; her great-grandchildren Conner, Teagan, Liam, Sophie, and Hunter; and her brother, Gus Stavrou.  She had an abundance of nieces, nephews and cousins who thought the world of her and she had many friends who became her family over the years, including Joann Verschoor, who the family would like to thank greatly as she became Martha’s advocate, voice and eyes these last years.  Martha was fortunate to have spent many happy years with Dan Hoch prior to his passing.      Martha was preceded in death by her parents, Steve and Ida Reich Stavrou, and siblings Elaine (Richard ‘Bud’) Kingston, Ethel (Mort) Lipton, Ida Mae Kopsas, Marion (Ken) Thompson, and Clayton (Carolyn) Brown.        The family would like to recognize the staff at Regency Square and Hospice of Siouxland for their exemplary care and we thank all those unrecognized friends who stopped in to visit her over the years.      Services will be scheduled at a future date.      Please send condolences and/or any favorite memories of Martha to Kimberly Carroll, PO Box 1714, Campbell, CA 95009, or by e-mail at memoriesofmartha@gmail.com.  A Memory Book will be created and shared with our family.