John Arthur
Poppenberg
John Arthur Poppenberg, 83, of Bemidji died Monday, December 24, 2007 Neilson Place in Bemidji, MN.
John was born August 26, 1924 in Bemidji, MN, the son of Henry Joseph and Irene (Doherty) Poppenberg. He was raised and educated in Bemidji, graduating from Bemidji High School. He attended a year of college in Bemidji. He served in the U. S. Army during WW II in the European Theater, he was captured during the Battle of the Bulge and was a POW. Following his discharge, he returned to Bemidji, where he completed his Industrial Arts education degree. He received his Master's in Industrial Arts from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He taught for a year in St. Louis, MO.
He married Donna Duhamel on May 2, 1952 at St. Philip's Catholic Church in Bemidji. He taught Industrial Arts in the Bemidji School System for 35 years. He was also a home builder and built many homes in the area. He loved woodworking and was proud of the things he built and meeting former students. He was a life long member of St. Philip's Catholic Church, the VFW Post # 1260 in Bemidji and the Ralph Gracie Post # 14 of the American Legion in Bemidji
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He is survived by his wife- Donna Poppenberg of Bemidji, 2 daughters - Donna (Rich) Bernhardt of Grand Forks, ND, Kathleen "Kit" (Mark) Hassenstab of Detroit Lakes, MN; 2 sons - Dr. John (Mary) Poppenberg of Fairibault, MN, Paul (Lynette) Poppenberg of Tempe, AZ, 7 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren; a sister - Angie (Tom) Conway of Bemidji.
He was preceded in death by his parents, 5 sisters- Katherine, Irene, Rose Mary Geraldine and Sister Mary Charlotte and a brother- Henry "Bud".
Funeral Services will be 11:00 a.m., Thursday, December 27, 2007 at the St. Philip's Catholic Church in Bemidji with Rev. Vincent Miller officiating.
Interment will be at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Bemidji under the direction of the Cease Family Funeral Home of Bemidji.
