Feb. 20, 1934 — April 2, 2017
Helen C. Koppen, age 83, died Sunday, April 2, 2017 at Gentiva Hospice, Athens, Ga. Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, April 8, 2017, with a visitation at 9:30 a.m. The Funeral Mass will immediately follow at 10:30 a.m., at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Wesley, with the Rev. Peter Nguyen officiating.
Helen C. Koppen was born in Bancroft, on Feb. 20, 1934, the daughter of Arthur and Evelyn (Fox) Renger. She attended St. John’s High School, Bancroft, Iowa graduating in 1952. Helen spent time after high school, both in a Catholic Convent in Dubuque, Iowa and then entered the Nursing program at the University of Iowa, Iowa City.
When Helen’s Mother (Evelyn (Fox) Renger 1910-1954) died on Helen’s 20th birthday, she returned to Bancroft to help care for her Father, younger brother Joe (age 12) and sister Mary Lea (age 11).
Helen married William L. Koppen in June of 1959 and to this union five children were born, Jeffrey, Jennifer, Steven, Jacqueline and Christopher. Helen and William were married for 57 years.
William and Helen enjoyed their travels immensely to Alaska, Hawaii, Bangkok, Mexico, California, Georgia, Texas, New York, Idaho, Washington D.C. (almost all 50 states) visiting family and friends, especially enjoying time with their seven Grandchildren.
Helen loved caring for her family. She loved music, everything from Frank Sinatra to Wayne Newton. She enjoyed taking cooking, ceramic and candle making classes. Her homemade bread and cinnamon rolls were unbeatable. Love was always in her baking and cooking! She adored fishing, gardening, boating, but above all, her husband, children and pets.
Helen is survived by her four children, son Jeffrey, Austin, Texas and Cheyenne Koppen daughter of Jeffrey, daughter Jennifer Koppen, Lake Oconee, Ga., daughter Jacqueline Cowles, Lake Oconee, Ga., Robert S. Cowles III, M.D., husband of Jacqueline, Katherine (Kate) and Robert (Bass) Cowles IV, children of Jacqueline, son Christopher Koppen, Webster, N.Y. and Andrea Koppen, wife of Christopher, John and Eleanor Koppen, children of Christopher, and Carol Koppen, mother to grandchildren Lewis and Fiona Koppen, Boise, Idaho, children of son Steven Koppen (deceased).
Helen is also survived by her siblings, Arthur (Bucky) and Karen Renger, Bancroft, Iowa and Joe and Elaine Renger, Ledyard. Helen was preceded in death by her husband, William L. Koppen (1928 -2016) her son Steven Koppen who died from colon cancer in July 2015 at age 50, parents Arthur and Evelyn Renger, her sister Shirley Tag, her brother Tom Renger and sister Mary Lea Flaig.
Lentz Funeral Home in Algona is serving the family.