Fern Avis (Vroman) STUPKA

VROMAN, STUPKA, OLSON, KILEY, ANDERSON, SCHULTZ, NELSON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/30/2007 at 15:02:15

April 16, 1999
Mason City Globe-Gazette

KANAWHA - Fern Stupka, 80, passed away Tuesday (April 13, 1999) at her home in Kanawha. Funeral services for Fern will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 17, 1999, at the Holmes Baptist Church, in Holmes, with Pastor Patrick Nemmers officiating. Burial will take place at Amsterdam Township Cemetery in Kanawha. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the Ewing Dugger Funeral Chapel in Kanawha, and one hour prior to services on Saturday at the church.

Fern Avis Stupka was born on March 13, 1919, near Radcliffe, to Bertha (Olson) Vroman and Carl Vroman. Around 1923, she and her family moved to Goldfield. They lived for a short time on a farm, where she attended school at a small country school. After moving into town, she attended the Goldfield schools and graduated in 1937. She was very active in the operettas, speech and glee club. She received several excellent ratings in the music contests and an award pin from the WCTU for a written essay. She was baptized in infancy, but at the age of 12, she accepted the Lord and followed the Lord in believer's baptism at the Baptist Church in Goldfield, where Ira D. Halverson Sr. was the pastor. Since she was stricken at an early age with rheumatic fever, her activities were somewhat restricted. After graduation she became receptionist and secretary for Dr. B.L. Bassinger. In 1940, she was married to Edward L. Stupka by the Reverend Charles Davis at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Vroman. Two children were born to this union, Marvin and Wayne. They moved to a farm north and west of Goldfield and were tenants for Glen Thompson. In 1942 they began farming on the Spencer farm north and east of Clarion and the next year moved to the Keller farm north and west of Clarion. They remained there until 1960, when they moved to the Middleton farm north and east of Renwick. In 1973, they moved to Kanawha and were living at the retirement apartments on West Sixth Street at the time of Fern's death. Fern was very active in her church and volunteer services. She and her husband, Ed, served with the commodity program in Kanawha for 10 years and they were presented a certificate from Governor Branstad at an award meeting. She also enjoyed helping with activities at the Kanawha Community Home. She started as a Sunday school teacher when her boys were two and three years of age and served as a teacher for over 40 years. Also she held many offices in the church and was a soloist and choir member for many years. She had a special love for her church, her family, her relatives and all her Christian brothers and sisters.

She leaves to mourn her passing her beloved husband, Ed; her son, Marvin and wife, Mary, her son, Wayne; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; four sisters, Mrs. Peggy Kiley, of Kanawha, Mrs. Ruby Nelson, of Kanawha, Mrs. Helen Schultz and her husband, Don, of Clarion, and Mrs. Florence Anderson of Clarion; nieces and nephews; and a host of relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her brother, Orval; her mother, Bertha; her father, Carl; a brother, Annis; and a sister, Marie Kiley. Ewing Dugger Funeral Chapel, Kanawha.