Fourth Generation

47. Delores GILNER was born (date unknown).

Delores GILNER and John Edward KOPENHAFER were married on 3 October 1953 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^25,87 John Edward KOPENHAFER, son of Harley KOPENHAFER and Rose PRELL, was born on 1 January 1924 in Elroy, Plymouth Township, Juneau County, WI.⁸⁷ He died on 1 March 2014 at the age of 90 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁸⁷

Obituary Notes: "John Edward Kopenhafer, 90, of Tomah died Saturday, March 1, 2014, at the Tomah Healthcare Center. He was born Jan. 1, 1924, to Harley and Rose (Prell) Kopenhafer in Elroy, Wis. He grew up in Elroy. In 1946, he joined the U.S. Air Force and served during World War II.

John was united in marriage to Delores Gilner Oct. 3, 1953, at St. Mary’s Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. They were married for over 60 years. John was a collector of all sorts of different things: small cars, pencil sharpeners, antique beer cans, and maybe other things.

He worked for the City of Tomah, from 1960 until his retirement in 1986. After his retirement he spent a lot of time in his workshop woodworking. He made wood toys, many cabinets, if you could name it, he could build it. He and Delores also traveled to visit their children and grandchildren.

He was a faithful member of St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church, and the Tomah Grassman-Sowle-Larsen-Senz American Legion Post #201 for 47 years. John was easy going and enjoyed his morning coffee at McDonald’s visiting with friends. He was a proud grandpa and always shared his collectables or a $5 bill with his grandchildren. They knew they could always depend on grandpa for anything. He was a devoted husband, and a loving father, grandfather, great-grandpa, stepgrandpa and step-great -grandpa and brother.

He is survived by his wife, Delores of Tomah; two sons, John M. (Alyssa) of Franktown, Colo., and Steven of South Bend, Ind.; a daughter, Paula (Mark) Epps of Tomah; nine grandchildren, Nathan (Brianna), Alexis (Arin), Hannah, Aubrey, Jason, Janice, Julie, Jacob, and Crystal (Paul) Horning; two step-grandchildren, Joshua and Tiffany Epps; five great-grandchildren, Braden, Ansley, Gage, Rodney, and Paul Jr.; two stepgreat-grandchildren, Kaylynn and Trevor; a brother, James (Linda) Kopenhafer of Oklahoma; two sisters, Rosemary Pliner of Tomah, and Elizabeth O’Reskie of Minneapolis; a brother–in-law, Duane (Dolores) Gilner of Wisconsin Dells; a sister-in-law, Betty Kopenhafer of Florida; nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Beatrice Dwyer; two brothers, Joe and Harley Jr.; three brothers-in-law, Melvin Pliner, Richard O’Reskie, and William Dwyer; and a sister-in-law, Betty Kopenhafer.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 8, 2014, at St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church. Pastor Donald R. Buch will officiate. Burial will be in the Mt. Vernon Cemetery, with military honors by the Grassman-Sowle-Larsen-Senz American Legion Post #201."

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