Elsie V. Stoppelmann

Elsie V. Stoppelmann, 91, of Belle Plaine passed away on Tuesday, June 12, 2012 at New Prague Hospital. Funeral services were at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 16, 2012 at St. John Lutheran Church, Belle Plaine. Visitation was from 9:00 to time of service. Rev. Mark Johnson officiated and Diane West played the organ for the service. Interment was at the Oakwood Cemetery. Elsie was born on August 11, 1920 at the Stoppelmann farm in Blakeley Township, Scott County, MN. Her parents were William and Emma (Domke) Stoppelmann. Elsie was baptized on August 29, 1920 by Rev. P.J. Haupt. Her sponsors were: Fred Westphal, Verona (Mrs. Emil Schmidt) and the pastor's wife, Elsa Haupt. Elsie was confirmed by Rev. P.J. Haupt on April 14, 1935. Elsie was a life-long member of St. John Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine. Elsie graduated from Belle Plaine High School in 1939. Elsie's first jobs were cutting and selling watercress, wrapping meat at the Locker Plant owned by her brother Frank. Elsie became a full-time employee at what was then called Central Telephone Company located in Belle Plaine, later Jordan and she ended her career of 40 years at the Le Center office where she retired on February 11, 1983. Elsie was the official car driver. She enjoyed traveling, having been to the World's Fair in Seattle, WA and New York City. She also flew to Hawaii and Germany. Elsie made 4 trips to New Brunswick, NJ to visit the Domke relatives. Elsie lived on the family farm until the spring of 1942 when she and her sister and mother moved into a new home in Belle Plaine. Now they could walk to church and Elsie could walk to her job. And they finally had electricity and running hot water. Elsie loved picnics, roasting marshmallows, going fishing, putting puzzles together in the winter and nothing tasted better than a juicy watermelon in the summer. A pan of just popped corn with butter was always an afternoon treat all year around. Elsie also loved playing UNO and Skip-bo and was a sharp player. She loved going out to the farm in later years to daily feed banty chickens and cats. She owned many cats over the years with her last being "Coco"; but her favorite cat was "Mitze". Elsie was preceded in death by her parents, sister, Irene, brothers and sister-in-laws, Frank and Alice, Walter and Anna, Fred and Marion and a nephew Howard Stoppelmann. Elsie was the last living of the 42 Stoppelmann cousins and 24 Domke cousins. Elsie is survived by nieces Mary Lund of New Ulm, Carol Stoppelmann and Esther Stoppelmann of Belle Plaine, Arlene (Scheele) Faust of Arlington, Dorothy Bullert of Hutchinson and nephews Robert Stoppelmann of Belle Plaine, and Donald Stoppelmann of Lancaster, CA. Also survived her are great - nieces Jennifer Jorgens, Dollis Scheele, Jennifer Dieball, Kyla Widmer and great - nephews, David Scheele and Rustin Bullert. Her great great nieces are Angelina Scheele, Samantha Bullert, Abigail, Rachel and Jessica Widmer and great great nephews, Aaron Crawford, Jason and Tanner Bullert and Isaac Diebal. Casket bearers were: Rustin Bullert, Randy Bullert, Dave Faust, Orin Kruschke, Donald Stoppelmann and Robert Stoppelmann.