Louise Lena Ida Oppelt, 101, died Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017, at The Neighborhoods at Brookview in Brookings.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Elkton with burial to follow in the church cemetery. Visitation is from 5-7 p.m. Sunday at Eidsness Funeral Chapel in Elkton.
Louise Lena Ida Oppelt was born Dec. 15, 1915, in Lyon County, Iowa, to William and Ella (Hamann) Wenzel.
Louise grew up in Iowa, where she attended school in Alvord. She graduated from Alvord High School in 1933. Louise worked as a hired hand, a maid, and baked pastries in Rock Rapids, Iowa.
She married Laurence Oppelt on Sept. 29, 1940, at Elkton Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. They lived on the Oppelt family farm near Elkton for 55 years. Laurence died in 1994, and Louise moved into Elkton in 1996.
She moved to Stoneybrook Assisted Living in Brookings in 2011 and to The Neighborhoods at Brookview in 2014.
Louise held various offices in Thimble Club and was a member of Alton Extension Club for 40 years.
She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Ladies Aid and enjoyed crocheting, quilting, gardening, spending time with her family, and watching the Minnesota Twins and playing bingo. Louise was baptized and confirmed at Christ Lutheran Church in Alvord, Iowa.
Louise is survived by her children: Ruth Christensen of Omaha, Neb., Charles H. (Elva) Oppelt of Elkton, Betty Sween of Elkton and Diane (Don) Severson of Glencoe, Minn.; 14 grandchildren and step-grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren and step-great- grandchildren; 19 great-great-grandchildren and step-grandchildren; one great-great-great- grandchild; sister, Ila Alford; brothers, Wayne (Jean) Wenzel, Roy (Karen) Wenzel, James (Linda) Wenzel; one brother-in-law, and four sisters-in-law.
She was preceded in death by her husband Laurence; son-in-law, Dennis Sween; grandchildren, Lori Kisting, Lance Oppelt, and three in infancy; brothers, Wilbur, Lauren, Paul, and Alan; and sisters, Letha Jenks, Bernice Chancellar and Caryl Turl.
