HOPPENWORTH, Everett August Herman 1924-2017

HOPPENWORTH

Posted By: K. L. Kittleson
Date: 3/12/2018 at 12:36:00

Services:
Friday, August 18, 2017 at Ascension Lutheran Church

Visitation:
One hour before the service Friday at the church

Cemetery:
Garden of Memories with military rites conducted by the Becker-Chapman American Legion Post #138, V.F.W. Post 1623, Iowa National Guard Honors Detail

Biography--

Everett August Herman Hoppenworth, 92, of Waterloo, Iowa, died Wednesday, August 16, 2017 at Ravenwood Specialty Care.

He was born on November 30, 1924, to William and Mary Hoppenworth on Sweets Farm in Douglas Township. He was the fifth of six children. As a child, he lived on numerous farms and in many communities. He was baptized and confirmed at Douglas Lutheran Church in Douglas Township. He attended school in Douglas Township.

On May 5, 1934, Everett’s mother died, leaving him, his brother, Raymond, and sister Eldora in the care of his father and older sister Malita, who was 16.

As a teen, Everett worked on a farm north of Douglas Church. During ninth grade and half of tenth, he went to school in Fort Des Moines. After tenth grade, he quit school to work on a farm south of Tripoli. In the spring of 1941 he came to Waterloo and worked for the Rath Packing Company.

On December 17, 1942, he went into the Army Air Corps. Everett received his basic training in St. Petersburg, Florida. He attended Cooks and Bakers School in Miami Beach and was assigned to the South Atlantic Wing in Natal, Brazil. He was discharged in Nov. of 1945 and came home to a cold and snowy Iowa.

Everett returned to the Rath Packing Co. as a cook in the cafeteria. He quit his job in the cafeteria and was rehired the same day in the main plant. During a strike, he went to work for his sister and brother-in-law on their farm. He also worked for a while in the Sugar Beet Plant in Waverly until he was rehired by Rath.

Everett and Dorothy were married April 20, 1947 in Waterloo. They first resided at 1102 South Street. They then moved to an upstairs apartment at 1122 South Street. In July of 1950 they bought the house at 123 Sutton Avenue in Elk Run Heights.

In the following years they raised five children, Tony, Mark, Suzette, Kevin, and Gina.

In 1957, Everett built a boat in which the family enjoyed many summer vacations on the Mississippi and Cedar Rivers. The boat was traded for a camping trailer in 1962 and years of camping and traveling the country followed. During these years Everett continued to work at Rath. He retired in December of 1984. In October of 1985, they sold their home in Waterloo, Iowa, and moved to Apache Junction, Arizona. In the spring of 2004, they returned to Waterloo to stay.

Everett has 15 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Source: Kearns funeral home website