Larry Ochs

Lawrence "Larry" Ochs (March 9, 1924 – April 23, 2003) was an American politician who served as the 36th Mayor of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

For the jazz saxophonist, see Larry Ochs (musician).
Larry Ochs
36th Mayor of Colorado Springs
In office
1975–1979
Preceded byAndrew Marshall
Succeeded byRobert M. Isaac
Personal details
Born
Lawrence Ochs

March 9, 1923
Russell, Kansas
DiedApril 23, 2003 (aged 90)
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Kansas
Military service
Branch/service United States Army
Battles/warsWorld War II

Early Life

Ochs was born on March 24, 1924 in Russell, Kansas, the second of five children born to David and Matilda Emma Ochs (née Strecker).[1] Ochs grew up in Russell where his father was a Chevrolet salesman. He received his education in Russell public schools where he excelled academically as well as in music, oratory, debate, basketball and student government. His family belonged to the Trinity Methodist Church. Ochs was also an Eagle Scout.

In the fall of 1942, he enrolled at the University of Kansas and became a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, which later inducted him into its Hall of Fame.[2] Ochs was a classmate of Bob Dole since the first grade and continued their relationship into college. In 1946, Ochs was drafted into the United States Army, on an officer’s commission through OCS and overseas service until he was relieved from active duty in 1946.[3] Ochs graduated from college in 1948.

Career

In Colorado Springs, Ochs joined with brothers Harlan, Kenneth and Donald Ochs in a business partnership and opened the PDQ Car Wash in Colorado Springs, followed by launching Acorn Petroleum in 1959.[4]

In 1967, Ochs was elected to the Colorado Springs City Council.[5][6] In 1970, Ochs was elected Vice Mayor under Mayor T. Eugene McCleary.[7][8]

In December 1970, Vice Mayor Ochs Ochs traveled to Paris with a League of Wives delegation and attempted to meet with North Vietnam representatives. They delivered 125,000 letters of support for the POWS to the North Vietnamese Embassy with the assistance of Hussein of Jordan and the Jordanian Embassy. Throughout the war, Ochs supported the POW-MIA cause.[9][10]

In 1975, Ochs was elected Mayor by the Colorado Springs City Council,[11] the last mayor to be elected by City Council rather than popular vote.[12] As mayor, Ochs worked aggressively to expand business and other opportunities for Colorado Springs.[13][14][15][16][17] He played an instrumental role in courting the United States Olympic Committee (USOC),[18][19][20][21] and facilitated the arrangements that brought USOC to Colorado Springs, where the USOC moved into the campus that formerly was the home of Ent Air Force Base in downtown Colorado Springs.[22][23][24] Ochs enthusiastically supported the “sister city” relationship with Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan (which began in 1962), and facilitated goodwill visits between the officials of both cities. He led the city in the airport expansion,[25] building of a new propane storage facility to ease the natural gas shortage, further procurement of water rights and development of water storage, transmission and treatment facilities crucial to the expansion and growth of the city’s population and businesses.[26][27][28][29]

Later Life

From 1979 to 2003, Ochs and his wife lived a quiet life in Colorado Springs. Out of politics, Ochs continued to manage Acorn Petroleum with his brothers, participated in the Pikes Peak Range Riders,[30] and was an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Colorado Springs.

Personal life

Ochs married Martha Lou Norton on September 4, 1946. The couple had two children. Martha died in 1977, and Ochs remarried in 1978 to Jean Mitchell, a widow from Dallas.[31][32]

Illness and Death

In 2001, Ochs was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. He died on April 23, 2003, at the age of 79.

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References


  1. "Lawrence David "Larry" Ochs (1924-2003) - Find A..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2020-04-15.
  2. "Gamma-Omicron Chapter of Kappa Sigma | Kansas University". www.gamma-o.org. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  3. "8 Jun 1975, Page 42 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  4. "22 May 1963, Page 11 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  5. "16 Apr 1967, Page 6 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  6. "2 Apr 1967, Page 28 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  7. "30 Aug 1973, Page 1 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  8. "19 Apr 1969, Page 49 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  9. "KU Endowment - Voices of Freedom". www.kuendowment.org. Retrieved 2020-04-15.
  10. "Exhibition will share stories of Vietnam POW, MIA advocates". The University of Kansas. 2017-01-09. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
  11. "15 Apr 1975, Page 1 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  12. "9 Jul 1977, Page 65 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  13. "5 Aug 1975, Page 2 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  14. "18 Jun 1975, Page 4 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  15. "21 Apr 1978, Page 5 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  16. "13 Oct 1976, Page 77 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  17. "21 Mar 1978, Page 7 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  18. "24 Jul 1977, Page 13 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  19. "14 Mar 1977, Page 1 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  20. "8 Feb 1978, Page 1 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  21. "5 Apr 1977, Page 4 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  22. "United States Olympic Training Center", Wikipedia, 2019-06-27, retrieved 2020-04-15
  23. "20 Mar 1977, Page 15 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  24. "25 Jan 1978, Page 5 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  25. "7 Mar 1978, Page 2 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  26. "5 Jun 1976, Page 1 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  27. "30 Jan 1977, Page 6 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  28. "5 Feb 1977, Page 2 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  29. "19 Nov 1977, Page 26 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  30. "21 Jul 1977, Page 17 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  31. "22 May 1978, Page 1 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  32. "22 May 1978, Page 35 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
Political offices
Preceded by
Andrew Marsall		 Mayors of Colorado Springs
1967 – 1975		 Succeeded by
Robert M. Isaac


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