Mary Poppen

The funeral service for Mary Poppen will be at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at Evergreen Methodist Church in Wahpeton, ND. A gathering of family and friends will begin at 10:00 a.m at the church until the time of service. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery in Wahpeton. Pastor Mary Ann Bernard will officiate the service.

Mary Lorraine (Blahna) Poppen was born March 15, 1922 to Elizabeth and Leonard Blahna in Bordulac, ND.  She grew up on her family’s farm outside of Kensal, ND, the fifth of eight children.  Her siblings referred to her as “sis”. She attended country school and graduated from Kensal High School in the spring of 1939.  After graduating from Valley City Teacher’s College Mary began teaching in a one room schoolhouse in Wyndmere Township in the fall of 1940.  Mary and George were married on the Poppen farmstead on June 7, 1943.

Mary and George raised their five children on their farm west of Wyndmere.  Mary was a dedicated farm wife, mother and grandmother.  She taught Sunday school, was a 4-H advisor and acted as a cub scout leader.  She was a beautiful writer, a skilled seamstress and an amazing cook.  Her beef roast was a family favorite, and she was well known for her fabulous Krumkake.  Mary participated in many church activities at the Evergreen Methodist Church in Wahpeton including sewing quilts.  When Mary and George weren’t busy farming they found time to travel, first with their children and later as a couple. They traveled to places as far away as Alaska, Australia and Tahiti.

In 2003 Mary moved to Wahpeton to continue her participation in her church and spend more time with her children and grandchildren.  Mary was a resident at the Twin Town Villa at the time of her passing in the early morning of June 12, 2022 at the age of 100.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband of 50 years, George, and both of their siblings.  She is survived by her children Sandra Dianne (Tony) Vetter, Dennis George (Susan) Poppen, Charles Dallis (Kim), Mary Jolene Gramm and John Dale (Diane) Poppen; as well as grandchildren Wanda Sigurdson, Jon Vetter, Stephanie Poppen, Christa Wagner, Jason Gramm, Jim Poppen, George Poppen, Dietrich Poppen, Charlie Poppen, Sam Poppen, Michael Poppen , John Poppen and 17 great grandchildren.

Obituary submitted by Mary's loving family.