Popowski, Dennis E. (1949-2018)

POPOWSKI, PRELLWITZ, VERLY, BAILEY, KALANTARI, GURR, KERKAERT

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 5/11/2018 at 16:14:12

Dennis E. Popowski
March 4, 1949 - February 8, 2018

Deacon Dennis E. Popowski, 68, of Garner, died peacefully with his family by his side on Thursday, February 8, 2018, at Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa, Mason City.

The oldest of seven children on their family farm, Dennis Edward Popowski was born on March 4, 1949, in Ivanhoe, Minnesota. A son of Roy and Marjorie (Prellwitz) Popowski, he graduated from Canby Vocational Technical College in 1969 with a degree in Farm Equipment and Diesel Mechanics. He, then, joined the Navy Seabees as a construction mechanic and was stationed in Alaska, Vietnam, Guam, and Rhode Island. As a Petty Officer 2nd Class E-5, he was honorably discharged in 1973. That same year, he married his bride and the love of his life, Charlene M. Verly, from Marshall, Minnesota. Next, he moved to Hartley, Iowa, and worked at Ruby-Miller John Deere Equipment until 1983. After moving to Garner, Dennis worked at Circle H John Deere Implement as a service technician and shop foreman for twenty years. In 2002, he started at Winnebago Industries where he worked in customer service for fourteen years.

After five years of training with the Catholic Diaconate in Waterloo, Iowa, Dennis was ordained in 2001 as a permanent deacon with the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Very much involved with serving his church and community, he, often, assisted at Mass. In addition, along with Char, he worked with faith formation, baptism classes, marriage preparation, and Marriage Encounter activities. Moreover, he served as the Financial Secretary of the Knights of Columbus at St. Boniface for thirty-two years. He, also, enjoyed working and playing alongside his family while gardening, delivering newspapers, mowing lawns, camping, fishing, playing games, and visiting family.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Char, of Garner; seven children, LeRoy (Felicia) Popowski, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Dean Popowski (Farrah Fritz), of Boulder, Colorado, Jerry Popowski, of Phoenix, Arizona, Ann (Todd) Bailey, of Clear Lake, Steven Popowski (Patricia Turnell), of Denver, Colorado, Matthew Popowski (Rachel Beal), of Richmond, Virginia, and Monica Popowski (John) Kalantari, of Iowa City; eight grandchildren; and six siblings, Dar Gurr, Ron (Natalie) Popowski, Dave (Barb) Popowski, Gloria (Rich) Kerkaert, Joe (Dorothy) Popowski, and Stan Popowski; as well as by many nieces and nephews. Dennis was preceded in death by his parents and a grandson.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday, February 11, 2018, at St. Boniface Catholic Church with Fr. Jim Dubert, Fr. Paul Lippstock, and other Priest friends as concelebrants. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with military rites by the Garner Veterans Ceremonial Unit. Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M., Saturday, at St. Boniface Catholic Church with a Scriptural wake service at 3:00 P.M. followed by a Knights of Columbus recitation of the rosary. Visitation will continue for one hour before services at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Boniface Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, or the Archangels Catholic Cluster.

Cataldo Schott Funeral Home, Forest City, Iowa, 2017.

Winnebago Obituaries maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
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