William J. Koopal, 77

Published 7:01 am Sunday, January 29, 2017

William J. “Bill” Koopal, 77, of rural Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, died Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017, at his home.

He was born Oct. 17, 1939, in Sheldon, Iowa, the son of Cornelius and Jennie (Buss) Koopal. Bill grew up in Lyle and graduated from Lyle High School. He worked for Alton Wilder Farms, and then for the Freeborn County Co-op.

Koopal

Bill married Eileen Gilbertson at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin on Aug. 29, 1959. The couple raised two daughters. He went to work for Hormel Foods Corp. in 1972 and worked there until 1986. Bill owned a house-moving company, which he operated until he retired in 2000.

He was a member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church where he was an active volunteer. Bill loved gardening, canning, fishing, cooking and baking, woodworking and antiquing. He enjoyed watching his grandchildren play their sports, and treasured any time he could spend with his family and friends.

Bill belonged to the Eagles Club, served as a 4-H leader, and was on the board of Woodbury Cemetery in Lyle, Minnesota. He also enjoyed his card club. Bill will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Survivors include his daughters, Kellee (Marti) DeMay of St. Peters, Missouri, and Kathi (Rick) Overocker of Albert Lea, Minnesota; four grandchildren, Travis Armstrong (Lisa Copeman), Stacie (Rob) Perry, Tyler (Gabrielle) DeMay and Carter DeMay (Jody Weber); great-granddaughter, Genevieve DeMay; brothers, John ‘Jack’ Koopal of Des Moines, Iowa, and Sam Koopal of Lyle; and as several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Eileen in 2013.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin with Todd Portinga, AIM, officiating. Visitation will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 30, 2017, at the Worlein Funeral Home in Austin and for one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday. Interment will be in Woodbury Cemetery, Lyle. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the St. Olaf Lutheran Church Building Fund or the Woodbury Cemetery. Worlein Funeral Home of Austin is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.