July 10, 1928 — Dec. 25, 2016
William L. Koppen, age 88, died on Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016, at the University of Iowa Hospital, Iowa City. Mass of the Christian Burial will be held on Friday, Dec. 30, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Wesley, with the Rev. Peter Nguyen and Rev. Timothy Johnson celebrating. Burial will be held in St. Joseph Cemetery, with military rites conducted by the Andrews American Legion Post No. 428 of Wesley. A Wake will be held on Thursday, Dec. 29, from 4-6 p.m., at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Wesley, with a 4 p.m., Rosary and a 6 p.m., Scripture Service.
William L. Koppen was born in Algona on July 10, 1928, the son of Lawrence and Edna Mae (Hauptly) Koppen. He went to St. Cecelia’s school for three years, then the family moved to Wesley in 1936, and William finished grade school at St. Joseph’s, and Wesley High School graduating in 1945. William went to Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa for one year, then enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served from 1946 to 1948. William returned to Wesley and was employed by the U.S. Post Office as a Postal Clerk. Two years later, William became a rural mail carrier and delivered mail for the next 40 years, retiring in 1990, a job William very much enjoyed.
William married Helen Renger in June of 1959 and to this union, five children were born, Jeffrey, Jennifer, Steven, Jacqueline and Christopher. William’s love and adoration for Helen of 57 years is a true testament of a man with a wondrous heart and soul.
William had an incredible skill of constructing his own home, which he loved building from the bottom up, not just one home, but two homes with lots of love and hard work.
William also thoroughly enjoyed the great outdoors. He did much fishing with his family at The Lake of the Woods, northern Minnesota and many trips to Northern Saskatchewan. He also enjoyed hunting from pheasants locally, to Elk in Colorado, and deer hunting in Wyoming.
Among being in the outdoors, William had the first hole in one at the Wesley Golf Club. Wesley was a town that William truly loved. He served as Mayor of Wesley for 10 years, Housing Board for over 30 years, Swimming Pool committee, Library Board for 10 years, and a volunteer Fireman for 25 years.
William and Helen enjoyed their travels immensely to Alaska, Hawaii, Bangkok, Mexico, California, Georgia, Texas, New York, Idaho and Washington D.C., (almost all 50 states) visiting family and friends, especially enjoying time with his seven Grandchildren.
William is survived by his wife Helen of 57 years, his 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, M.D., husband of Jacqueline, Katherine (Kate) and Robert (Bass) Cowles children of Jacqueline, son Christopher Koppen, Webster, New York and Andrea Koppen, wife of Christopher, John and Eleanor Koppen, children of Christopher, and Grandchildren Lewis and Fiona Koppen, Boise, Idaho, children of son Steven Koppen (deceased).
He is also survived by his two sisters, Lucille Schmidt, Garner and Elizabeth (Betty) Crandall, Algona. William was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Edna Koppen, his brother Robert, who died and childbirth and his son, Steven Koppen who died from colon cancer in July 2015 at age 50.
The Lentz Funeral Home in Algona is serving the family, exclusive provider of Veterans and Family Memorial Care. Condolences may be left at www.lentzfuneralhome.com.