POWER OF ATTORNEY





     The undersigned,  Frederick W. Koehler,  hereby constitutes and appoints Mary

Ellen McClelland or  __________________________,  as the undersigned's  true and

lawful  attorney-in-fact and agent, from the date hereof until such authority is

terminated by me in writing, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,

for the undersigned and in the  undersigned's  name, place and stead, in any and

all capacities,  to sign any Form 3 - Initial Statement of Beneficial  Ownership

of  Securities,  Form 4 -  Statement  of  Changes  in  Beneficial  Ownership  of

Securities,  Form 5 - Amended Statement of Changes in Beneficial  Ownership,  or

Form ID - Uniform Application For Access Codes to File on Edgar,  required to be

filed by the undersigned with respect to the undersigned's  beneficial ownership

of securities  of River Valley  Bancorp (the  "Company"),  and to file the same,

with all exhibits thereto,  with the Securities and Exchange  Commission and any

national  stock market on which the Company's  securities  are listed,  granting

unto said  attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform

each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all

intents  and  purposes  as such  person  might  or could  do in  person,  hereby

ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  said  attorney-in-fact  and  agent,  or a

substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.



         Executed as of this 21 day of November,  2002.





/s/ Frederick W. Koehler

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Signature



Frederick W. Koehler

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Printed Name





STATE OF INDIANA    )

                    ) SS:

COUNTY OF JEFFERSON )



     Before me, the undersigned  Notary Public in and for said State and County,

personally  appeared  Frederick W.  Koehler,  and  acknowledged  to me to be the

person who executed the foregoing Power of Attorney as his/her act and deed.





                                                /s/ Mary Ellen Wehner

                                                --------------------------------

                                                Notary Public





                                                Mary Ellen Wehner

                                                --------------------------------

                                                Printed Name





                                                Jefferson

                                                --------------------------------

                                                County of Residence



My Commission Expires:



08/24/08

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