Jeffrey Wayne Couch

1965 – 2021

Jeffrey Wayne Couch went to be with the Lord peacefully from home at the age of 55 Sept 2, after a long hard-fought battle with cancer. He was born Nov. 3, 1965 in Louisville, Kentucky to Ester Smith Zapata and Bobby Couch. At an early age, the family moved to Kingsville, Texas, where Jeff grew up in a loving family with his mom, stepfather, tw sisters and one brother. He would graduate from H.M. King High School in 1983. After graduating high school, Jeff began his 10-year military career where he served his country proudly in the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and the National Guard, earning many accolades such as a Navy E Ribbon, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Deployment with a Bronze Star and a Southwest Asia Service Medal with a Bronze Star. He later completed certification to become an EMT Paramedic. While maintaining his employment as an EMT, Jeff worked towards obtaining his engineering degree. Upon completion, he went on to work for various oil companies such as Halliburton, Baker Hughes and Anchor Drilling Fluids, where he retired from. Upon retirement, Jeff would finally be able to put more time and effort into doing the things that he loved like fishing, hunting, video games, researching his genealogy, gun collecting and most recently, CB radios. Jeff had a great sense of humor and loved being with family and friends. He was always laughing and there wasn’t a joke he would not tell. Jeff married Marsha on March 15, 2018. They lived in Edgewood. There Jeff and Marsha raised their fur babies and went on many adventures trying out new restaurants and traveling when they could. He was preceded in death by his father; grandmother, Lindy Smith and grandfather, Richard Smith. Among those left to cherish his memory are his wife Marsha Couch; mother, Ester Smith Zapata; father, Martin Zapata; son, James Couch (and Sarah); daughters, Jana Dunn (and Michael), and Cara Couch; stepdaughter, Melissa Dalton; sisters, Lisa Servantes (and Steve), Linda Bernal (and Luis); brother, Richard Zapata (and Venessa); nieces, Amanda Schiwitz (and John), Ashley Ortiz (and Eddie), and Laci Nicole Bernal (and Lee); nephew, Luke Bernal (and Laci Ann); great-nephews, Skylar Servantes, Caelum Ortiz, Liam Asher Trinh and Phoenix Ortiz; great-niece, Eslyn Ortiz; and granddaughter, Mikayla. Visitation was held Sept. 8 at Harris-hanlon Mortuary in Moriarty. Burial will be held Sept. 22 at 10:30 a.m. at the VA Cemetery in Santa Fe. Services were entrusted to Harris-hanlon Mortuary.