Kopriva, LeRoy Joseph 1935-2009
KOPRIVA, ZMOLEK, BAKER, FOLKEDAHL, HULME, STAVELEY, RUND
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 9/15/2012 at 13:27:54
LeRoy J. Kopriva, age 73, of Decorah, Iowa, died Friday, May 1, 2009, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota following a lengthy illness.
Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 A.M. Friday, May 8, 2009 at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Decorah by Rev. Phillip Gibbs. Burial will be in St. Benedict Cemetery with full military honors.
The whole community is invited to celebrate the life of LeRoy and visit with his family from 4:00 – 8:00 P.M. Thursday, May 7 at Oneota Golf and Country Club in Decorah, and on Friday one hour before the service at the church. Fjelstul Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
LeRoy Joseph Kopriva was born June 10, 1935 in Northern Tama County on a farm outside Traer, IA, the son of Joseph J. and Helen A. (Zmolek) Kopriva. He was a 1954 graduate of Traer High School. He served with the U.S. Army from 1955 to1957 where he was sent to San Antonio, TX, to be trained as a dental tech and then was sent to Korea for a 15 month tour. On February 3, 1961 he received a BA degree from Iowa State Teachers College (now U.N.I.) in Cedar Falls, IA majoring in Industrial Education and Physical Education and in August, 1970 he received an MA degree in Secondary Administration from Northeast Missouri State University.
He was united in marriage to Mary Bernadine “Bernie” Baker on June 6, 1957, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Traer. This union was blessed with four children: Stephen, Kristin, Robert and Gina.
While going to school, LeRoy worked in the meat department of Piggly Wiggly grocery store in Cedar Falls. This turned into a full-time job until August of 1961 when he entered into a career of teaching and coaching in the Decorah school system. He first signed on as a high school industrial arts teacher and coach of wrestling, golf, football and track. During this period of time he received recognition as the Outstanding Young Educator of 1967, State Golf Coach of the Year in 1981, 1982 and 1984, and District Wrestling Coach of the year in 1990. In 1996 he was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame and in 2002 the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Following 29 years of teaching and coaching he secured the position of Decorah High School Principal on July 1, 1990. In 1999 he received the award for “Service to Iowa High School Athletics” from the Iowa High School Athletic Association. He had served as past vice president and president of the Decorah Education Association, chairman of Northeast Iowa Principal Association, member of the State Administrators of Iowa, National Association of Secondary School Principals, Iowa State Education Association, life member of the National Education Association, and past member of the Phi Delta Kappa Education Fraternity. He retired from the education system in 1997.
LeRoy was very involved in the community and church: a board member of Aase Haugen Homes and served on their Property Committee, member of the Elks since 1966, a member of the Knights of Columbus at St. Benedict Catholic Church and joined Oneota Golf and County Club in 1970 where he served on the Board for three years and chairman of the grounds and greens for 10 years. In addition to his love of teaching, LeRoy liked hunting, and fishing, as well a golfing and walking in the summertime.
Along with his golfing buddy, Jim Friest, LeRoy had been instrumental in raising large donations for the American Cancer Society for over 25 years. They created their own “Longest Day of Golf”, which began at 45 holes when they first started and worked up to 134 holes.
LeRoy was a much respected and loved part of the community; he will be greatly missed. He was preceded in death by his father, Joseph Kopriva in 1971; mother, Helen Kopriva in 2000; wife, Mary “Bernie” in 1995; son, Stephen Kopriva in 1972; daughter, Kristin Ann in 2006; sister, Patricia Hulme in 1989; brother, John Kopriva in 1969; and son-in-law, Michael E. Folkedahl in 1998.
LeRoy is survived by his son, Robert Kopriva and his fiancé, Wendy Wallace and her son, Zach of Humboldt, IA; his daughter, Gina Folkedahl of Decorah; two granddaughters: Dailen Folkedahl and Kahler Folkedahl of Decorah; two brothers: Joseph (Janice) Kopriva of Traer, IA, and Larry (Leta) Kopriva of Toledo, IA; three sisters: JoAnn Kopriva of Traer, IA, Verna (Gordon) Staveley of Taylorsville, UT, and Beverly (Gene) Rund of Traer, IA.
Memorials may be sent to the American Cancer Society, “Longest Day of Golf”, c/o Roger Huinker, Decorah Bank and Trust Co., 202 E. Water Street, Decorah, IA 52101.
Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database
St. Benedict’s Catholic cemetery
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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