Evelyn M. Opperman

Monday, January 7, 2019 2:17 pm

Evelyn M. Opperman, 94, of Hawkeye, died Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, at Unity Point Health/Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo. Funeral services are at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 10, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hawkeye, with Rev. Jerome Godson officiating. Burial will follow at the West Union Cemetery. Visitation is from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9, at Trinity Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall in Hawkeye and for one hour preceding services at the church Thursday. Memorials may be made to the family for later designation. Becker-Milnes Funeral Home in Hawkeye is assisting Evelyn’s family. Online condolences may be left at beckermilnesrettig.com.

Evelyn Mary (Bruening) Opperman was born in Festina Nov. 12, 1924, the daughter of Bernard and Clara (Busch) Bruening. She graduated from high school in Alpha, going on to attend Upper Iowa University in Fayette, earning her teaching certificate. She then taught for five years, the first two years in country school at Donnan, then going on to teach in Oelwein and Hawkeye. During this time, she met George Opperman when he came to sing and play guitar at her school. Evelyn and George loved to go dancing at the Colosseum in Oelwein Thursday nights and got reacquainted. They were united in marriage Feb. 22, 1948, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua.

George and Evelyn farmed in the Hawkeye area for over 60 years. They worked tirelessly farming, milking cows until 1961, transitioning to raising hogs, beef cattle, chickens, including many two and four-legged pets. During this time their family grew to six children from 1948 to 1965, four girls and two boys. The family worked cooperatively throughout the years to make the farms successful.
Evelyn enjoyed gardening, music, playing cards, favorite TV shows, cooking, teaching Sunday School when the kids were growing up. She was an active member of her church circle and Christian Women’s group at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hawkeye.She was a hands-on wife, mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great grandmother, sister, sister-in-law, Aunt Evelyn (Evie), neighbor and friend, helping whenever needed. Coming from large families, an open-door policy was the norm for family, neighbors and friends to socialize regularly on the farm. The kitchen was the gathering place for anyone visiting to socialize to have a cup of coffee and homemade food.

Evelyn wasa resident at the Good Samaritan Home in West Union from Dec. 17, 2015 to Dec. 28, 2018. She was an active participant when there was music entertainment, activities, church services and playing cards.

She is survived by her six children: Judy (Darryl Waugh) of Clinton; Dean (Gilda) of Hawkeye; Gloria (Dale Frana) of Decorah; Kathie (Max Steege) of New Hampton; Dixie of Jesup; and Brad (Cathie) of Sumner; 16 grandchilden; 35 great-grandchildren; and four great-great grandchildren.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband, George, Jan. 29, 2015; her parents; seven sisters: Elizabeth Franzen, Anna Bertha Riha, Frances Thelman, Laura Kolar, Mildred Fels, Mary (Marie) Franzen, Lucille Thilke; and three brothers: Lawrence Bruening, Louis Bruening and Marcel (M.V.) Bruening.