Deleva Grace (Fredrick) OPPERMANN

FREDRICK, OPPERMANN, BAUMGARTNER, EPPLER, JAHR, BURGE, ANDERSEN, GUETZLAFF

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/5/2010 at 14:04:22

Deleva Grace (Fredrick) Oppermann of Waverly, died Friday, March 12, 2010. Deleva was born Sept. 16, 1917, on a farm near Strawberry Point, daughter of William and Emma (Baumgartner) Fredrick. She was the third child in a family of ten children. After high school graduation, Deleva taught rural school until her marriage to Earnest Frank Oppermann on Aug. 1, 1939, at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Strawberry Point, where she had also been baptized and confirmed. Earnest's teaching and coaching career took them to Popejoy and then Hampton, until Earnest was called into military service. Deleva and Earnest moved to Waverly in 1948 where both were employed by Wartburg College. Deleva was the chief telephone operator for 27 years retiring in 1984. In 2001, Deleva was honored with The Wartburg Medal for her years of dedication, support, and continued interest in Wartburg College. Deleva was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, a member of the Women of the Church and a ladies circle, and served on St. Paul's School Board.

Deleva was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Earnest; sisters, Erma (Howard) Eppler, Julia (Edgar) Jahr, Gladys (Frank) Burge, and Donna Andersen; one brother, Arnold Fredrick; brother-in-law, Rev. Arnold Jahr; and a sister-in-law, Shirley Fredrick. Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Sharon (Rev. Albert J.) Guetzlaff; granddaughter, two great-grandchildren.
She is also survived by her sister, Lillian Jahr; her brothers William and Raymond Fredrick; her sister-in-law, Tedi Fredrick; nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Memorials can be given to Wartburg College, St. Paul's Lutheran Church or School. Visitation was at the Kaiser Corson Funeral Home in Waverly, on Monday, March 15, from 4 to 7 p.m. Committal will be at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 16, at the Strawberry Point Cemetery. A memorial service in celebration of life will be held at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Waverly, at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 16. Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Waverly is in charge of arrangements.

Waverly Democrat --Iowa
March 23, 2010