Anton "Tony" Koch

Anton “Tony” Koch, 74, of Mandan, passed away on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at Miller Pointe in Mandan.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Friday, October 3, 2025, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Mandan. Interment will follow at Mandan Union Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4:00–6:00 P.M. on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at Buehler-Larson Funeral Home in Mandan, with a Rosary and Parish Vigil beginning at 6:00 P.M. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church.

Anton, known to family and friends as “Tony,” was born July 14, 1951, in Mandan to Anton and Cleopatra (Markos) Koch. He grew up in Mandan, where he graduated from Mandan High School. After attending NDSU and Wahpeton State College of Science, Tony returned home to begin his career in the restaurant business. He later shifted to the bar industry, eventually owning and operating Tony’s Bar and Lounge. After selling the bar, he continued bartending at several establishments in Mandan, with one of his last being the Lonesome Dove. Tony enjoyed the conversations, stories, and friendships that came with his work behind the bar.

He was a hardworking man who loved history and was always willing to put others before himself. Above all, Tony was proud of his daughters and their families. He will be remembered for his wisdom, kindness, and the genuine way he connected with others.

Tony will be deeply missed by his daughters, Tanya (Randy) Wetch and Nicole Koch, and their mother, Kathy Bayer and her son, Brandon (Shanna) Koch; his grandchildren, Alicia, Alex, Alora, Trayton, Mia, and Jaxon; great-grandchildren, Liam and Nala; as well as many cousins, countless friends, and his lifelong friend, Rick (Deb) Hebert.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his aunts, Rose Koch Dutton, Christine (Melbourne) Kincaid and Angie (Albert) Fopp along with several cousins.