Leola Poppens

The Model T rattled along the dirt road outside Gregory, heading for young Leola’s grandparents farm. Leola loved to watch the rolling farmland from her perch next to her little sister, but she dreaded that last hill. The Model T must have dreaded that hill, too. It never quite had enough juice to make it to the top, and would slide back down to the bottom. Her father would assume a look of grim determination as he shifted gears for a second attempt. Leola—unable to bear it—would pipe up from the backseat, “I’ll just get out and walk, Daddy.” That would just add to her father’s determination—everyone was going to climb that hill together inside the car. Leola could still laugh about that dreaded hill as she recounted the tale for her granddaughters. This was how she faced the struggles of life—straight on with no excuses yet always with a sense of humor. Born in Rapid City to Leslie and Hazel Cork, Leola F. Poppens (Cork) was a spunky child who loved to play with the neighborhood gang in Gregory. She graduated from Gregory High School. She earned her Associates Degree from Dakota Wesleyan University. A firm believer in lifelong learning she took extensions courses from USD. She met her husband Frederick Poppens on a blind date. Their first real date was to the Corn Palace in Mitchell, where they were married in 1937 and moved to a farm in rural Parker in 1940 with their toddler. They shared almost 50 full and loving years together. Her career began as a secretary in the Welfare Department in the Turner County Courthouse. She worked her way up, and as a case worker she traveled from Turner County to Salem and Menno. Well after retirement she could be counted on for sound workplace advice. Any craft or pastime she put her mind to she mastered, from knitting to handicrafts. She loved to sing with her friend Rachel White and in the church choir. She brought a true talent for improvisation and a spirit of adventure to the kitchen. She was a brilliant seamstress who could make anything. For many years, she orchestrated the church’s Mother-Daughter Banquet. Her creative themes, carefully culled quotations full of wisdom and humor, and hand-crafted decorations ensured every banquet was special. While Leola could be tough—never taking Novocain at the dentist—she was warm and generous. She always had time for friends and family. She faithfully clipped the daily Peanuts comics to paste in a scrapbook for her poor Snoopy-deprived granddaughter when she learned the Boston Globe didn’t carry the strip. She had an eye for the novel, unique, and fun things of life. She was famous at the courthouse for her exotic cake experiments. She had a collection of colorful holiday jewelry with sparkle to rival her personality. She loved to travel, especially in Europe or around the country to see the National Skating Championships. She was always game for a challenge, like the giant pool slide at Evans Plunge when she was over sixty. She had her ears pierced in honor of her sixty-fifth birthday. Her quieter pursuits included her love of dogs and cats, discussing the Dr. Phil show with her sister, and curling up with a good book or crossword puzzle. She remained interested in the events of the world around her, locally and nationally. She proudly voted in the last election, setting an example of fighting to protect the rights of others that inspires her family and provides a lasting legacy. Survived by her daughter Marjorie Schellenberg and her husband Peter of Natick, MA; her granddaughter Ann Margaret Richardson and her husband Paul of Glenwood, NJ; her granddaughter Catherine Schellenberg and her husband Joseph Sinko of Natick, MA; her great-granddaughters Abigail and Rebecca Richardson. She is also survived by her sister, Mildred Thorp of Littleton, CO; and her brother Thomas Cork and his wife Mary Jane of Salt Lake City, UT. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1987.