Ray Hoppe, in loving memory

Ray Hoppe died yesterday, just a day after his son Loren arrived home to be with him.

When she was very little, my daughter met her grandparents Ray and Jean. Over the years, we have spent time with them here and also at their home in Crookston. We have been part of the family gatherings at Christmas and Thanksgiving, and they came down to see Loren's house last October. Their five children, their grandchildren and their great-grandchildren love and respect them. Over the years, I came to love and respect them as well, for their loving kindness.

This is what I will always remember about Ray, loving kindness. His smile was warm and sweet. He was always welcoming and loving to me and my child. He was quiet, but his care and love for his children and wife, for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren was always in evidence, as was theirs for him. It was a fact of life. I am not sure if his family knows how blessed they are by this. How can people who have always felt the sun shining on them know what life is like without it? I know I have thought often that my daughter has been fortunate to share in the life of the family that he and Jean made in their 64 years together, with their love and kindness. It has been my blessing as well.

Raymond Howard Hoppe, 89, of Crookston, Minnesota, died at his farm home, Wednesday, March 5, 2008. Ray was born in Kertsonville Township of Polk County, near Crookston, on October 2, 1918, the son of Otto and Alma (Wohlrabe) Hoppe. In 1936 his family moved to Fairfax Township. Ray attended country school and later graduated from Crookston's Northwest School of Agriculture in 1940. On May 19, 1944 he was united in marriage to Jean Johnson at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Crookston. Ray was a faithful member of Our Savior's, and had served on the church board, as well as, teaching Sunday school and Adult Bible Classes for many years. He was also active in the community as a 4-H leader and board member for many organizations including Fairfax Township, Cenex, and the Climax Credit Union. Ray was always willing to volunteer his time, when and wherever help was needed. One of his favorite places to volunteer was the Polk County Museum. Even after "retiring" from farming in 1988, he always had an interest in how the crops were doing. He liked woodworking, photography and traveling: and he and Jean had enjoyed a wonderful "trip of a lifetime" to the Holy Land, Greece and Egypt in 1993. Even Though Ray has journeyed on, he will always be remembered by the many who shared his life and love.

Loving family members include his wife, Jean: sons, Curtis (Norma) Hoppe of Crookston, MN, Loren (Blas) Hoppe of Northfield, MN and David (Ida) Hoppe of Crookston; daughters, Carolyn (Wayne) Schenck of Crookston and Linda (Jim) Erickson of Bemidji, MN; eleven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; a sister, Edna Dennistoun of Burnsville, MN; and many nieces, nephews and other relatives. Ray was preceded in death by his parents; and six brothers and sisters, Alice Jurchen, Irma Hoppe, Herb Hoppe, Laurence Hoppe, Vernon Hoppe and Mildred Hoppe.