Linda Hoppel

Linda K. Hoppel, 81, of Garner, passed away Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, at Zion Lutheran Church in Clear Lake with Al Berge, lay minister officiating. Inurnment will be at Concord Township Cemetery in Garner.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, October 25that Cataldo Funeral Chapel, 160 E. 4thSt., Garner, and will continue one hour prior to services at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Garner-Hayfield Community Schools in memory of Linda. 

Linda Kay Hoppel, the daughter of Elmer and Edith (Sersland) Gipp, was born on March 23, 1942, in Decorah. Linda grew up on a farm southeast of Decorah and attended a country school through the 8thgrade. She graduated from Decorah High School in May 1960 and continued her education at Waldorf College in Forest City. Linda was employed as a parish secretary at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Ames for five years. On August 12, 1967, she was married to Donald A. Hoppel at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church in Decorah. They made their home in Garner all of their married life and were blessed with two sons, Scott and Mark.

Linda was a big supporter of Don in his years at GHV and Scott and Mark’s sports activities. The family were avid Iowa Hawkeye football fans at home and away games plus 2 Rose Bowl games. The family also enjoyed attending major league baseball games and going to several parks throughout the U.S.

She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Clear Lake where she was active in church circles, sewing quilts at Do Days, small group, and teaching Sunday school.  Linda also belonged to Garner Progressive Club, P.E.O. and Homemaker’s Club. She enjoyed her years as a teacher at Little Red Schoolhouse at Prairie View Apartments and as an RSVP volunteer at GHV schools. 

Linda is survived by her two sons, Scott (Beth) Hoppel of Osage and their two children, Nicholas and Katherine, and Mark (Tammy) Hoppel and their two children, Marissa and Michael; a sister, Lois Estrem of Decorah; brothers-in-law, Troy Beam of Prior Lake, MN and Douglas (Colleen) Hopple of Minnetonka, MN; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Don, in 2013; brother, Lyle Gipp; sisters, Lorna Gipp and Lana Beam; and brother-in-law, Paul Estrem.