Evelyn Koopmeiners

Evelyn M. Koopmeiners, age 88 of Melrose died on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 at the Pine Villa Care Center in Melrose, Minnesota.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:30 a.m. Monday, January 5, 2004 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Vincent Lieser officiating. Interment will follow in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday and from 8 to 11 a.m. Monday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. Christian Mothers and the Schanharr-Otte VFW Post 7050 Auxiliary will pray at 7 p.m. followed by parish prayers at 8 p.m. Sunday evening at the funeral home in Melrose.

Evelyn was born on May 20, 1915 in St. Francis, Minnesota to Henry and Bernadine (Brockman) Pohlmann. After finishing school, she was a housekeeper for the parish priest in St. Francis for two years. Evelyn was the housekeeper for the priest in Holdingford for the next seven years following which she married Joseph J. Koopmeiners on June 28, 1945 in St. Francis, Minnesota. Evelyn and her four sisters married Joseph and his four brothers, a very unusual situation.The marriage was one of four marriages, resulting in 5 brothers marring five sisters. She moved to Melrose and has been a resident since that time. After Joe's death in 1963 she was a waitress at various restaurants in Melrose for the next 17 years. Evelyn was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose, Christian Mothers and the Schanharr-Otte VFW Post 7050 Auxiliary. She loved a good story and was particularly fond of the stories she heard waitressing. Evelyn loved listening to Sleepy Head Cliff, the Dairy Land Quiz and Shake a Day. She enjoyed crocheting, cross word puzzles and a good card game. She was forever grateful to the community of Melrose for all the support she received after the death of her husband, Joe.

Evelyn is survived by her children, Thomas (Luanne) Koopmeiners of Brooklyn Park; Stephen (Judy) Koopmeiners of Cedar Falls, Iowa; Michael (Heidi) Koopmeiners of Maplewood and Marilyn (Greg) Sherve of Andover; sister, Adeline (Joe) Ebnet of Holdingford; seven grandchildren, Daniel, Joseph, Andrew, Joshua and Luke Koopmeiners, Emily and Brian Sherve.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Bernadine Pohlmann; husband, Joseph Koopmeiners; sisters, Olivia, Florence and Veronica Koopmeiners and Birgitta Borgerding; and brother, Jerome Pohlmann.

Casket bearers will be Daniel, Andrew, Joseph and Linus Koopmeiners and Greg and Brian Sherve. Serving as cross bearer will be Emily Sherve.In lieu of flowers a donation may be made to Pine Haven at the Pine Villa Care Center in Melrose.