Marian Kopperud

WESTBROOK–A Celebration of Life Service to honor the life and legacy of Marian Kopperud, age 97, of Westbrook, will be held on Monday, October 14th at 2:00 p.m., with a time of visitation for Marian from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m., at Old Westbrook Lutheran Church in rural Westbrook, with Pastor Harvey Pedersen officiating. The burial will be at the Old Westbrook Lutheran Cemetery in rural Westbrook.

Marian Kopperud passed away peacefully on October 9, 2024, at the Good Samaritan Society in Westbrook. Arrangements are under the care of the LaCanne Family Celebration of Life Center in Windom. Condolences and memories of Marian may be sent online to www.lacannefuneralhome.com.

Marian Alice (Warner) Kopperud was born on the family farm near Lamberton MN on July 10, 1927, to Ed and Helen Warner, one of 10 siblings. She attended Sunnyside Rural School for grades 1-8 and graduated from Lamberton High School in 1945. She then attended Teacher Training in Lamberton, graduating in 1946. Marian taught one year each in District 68 north of Westbrook, and District 15 between Walnut Grove and Tracy. Roger had returned from the Army Air Force in 1946, and he asked Marian for a date after choir practice one night in 1947. Their love flourished. She started attending St. Paul Bible Institute in September 1948 but returned home in December to care for her family.

On September 3, 1949, Marian and Roger were married at Old Westbrook Lutheran Church and settled into married life on Ole-on-the-corner’s place. In 1956, they moved across the road to the E.K. Kopperud farm where they continued to farm the land. Marian’s faith in Jesus was evident in her daily life. She wanted everyone she met to know of Jesus’ love and God’s free gift of salvation. Marian was a prolific baker, with a fresh fruit pie baked for every Sunday dinner. Her tasty orange twists were very memorable, as were the mountains of Christmas cookies she baked with her mother each year. Her freezer was always full. She rarely sat down, and could be found raking paths in the grove with her children, ironing the weekly batch of clothes at her mom’s, having daily family devotions, playing piano, singing in the church choir, teaching Sunday School and VBS, sewing and teaching her daughters to sew, visiting and volunteering at nursing homes, attending Family Bible Camp, and being a regular blood donor.

Marian and Roger often visited / babysat their grandchildren, and the grandchildren have many memories of ‘wiener roasts’, Family Bible Camp, tea parties in the grove, riding bikes, scavenger hunts, and riding in a trailer pulled by Marian on the riding lawn mower. In their later years, Marian and Roger traveled to Laredo TX to help with Latin American Lutheran Missions, and they could often be found playing piano and singing together. In 2010, Marian and Roger moved off the farm and into Lamberton, then to Peterson Estates in Westbrook in 2017, and into Westbrook Good Samaritan in August 2021.

Marian, 97, joined the heavenly choir on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. She is survived by children, Juanita (Tim) Foslien of Benson, Mary Louise (John) Forner of St. Cloud, Rosalie (Cary) Dietsche of Elk River, and Duane (Angie) Kopperud of Marshall; 14 grandchildren, Laura & Pastor Cody of Trout Creek MT, Katie & Thomas of Kristiansand Norway, Crystal & Adam of Mankato, Lindsay & Jim of St. Michael, Emily & Robb of Louisville KY, Jill & Mark of Mt. Lake, Jordan & Rachel of Zimmerman, Beth & Logan of Highlands Ranch CO, Nathan & Kelsey of St. Cloud, Tracy & Jakson of Benson, Ryan of St. Cloud, Layne of Vermillion SD, Madi and Kade of Marshall; 24 great-grandchildren, Cody James, Elias, Chevelle, Daylyn, Isabella, Kyla, Hanna, Jayce, Jacob, Anika, Emery, Selah, Riley, Oscar, Noah, Cressi, Wyatt, Jovie, Audrey, Laird, Rivers, Jason, Gideon, and Ames; sister, Jane Klein of Grandview TX; and sister-in-law, Gladys Warner of Walnut Grove.

Marian was preceded in death by her dear husband, Roger (Sept. 2021); daughter-in-law, Julie Kopperud; parents; 5 sisters; 3 brothers; and 1 baby granddaughter, Carly Patricia.

“In mansions of Glory and endless delight; I’ll ever adore Thee in Heaven so bright. I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow, If ever I’ve loved Thee, My Jesus, ’tis now.”

Blessed be Marian’s memory.