Richard Koppes
Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday January 17, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Staples, with a visitation one hour prior to the start of the service. Visitation will be held Friday January 16, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, with prayer service beginning at 6:00 p.m. and Rosary at 6:30 p.m.
Graveside service will be held at Evergreen Hill Cemetery, Staples following the Mass. Lunch will be served at the church following burial.
Richard Edmund Koppes was born June 1, 1937, in Moran Township, to Raymond and Clara (Etzler) Koppes. He attended country school and helped on the family farm.
On June 27, 1959, he married Donna Mae Reger at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Staples. They lived for a short time in Minneapolis, before buying a farm in Staples Township, where they raised four children, Jeff, Deanna, Doreen and Sherri. They were blessed to have 28 years of marriage. Donna passed away October 1, 1987. Richard married Jean Marie (Knox) Martin on October 8, 1993, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Staples. They were blessed to have 27 years of marriage. Jean passed away March 21, 2021.
Richard enjoyed hunting, fishing and trapping in his youth. Later in life, he enjoyed traveling, playing cards and was an excellent gardener. He was a farmer, steel fabricator and welder most of his life. He was proficient with a chain saw and was cutting wood and using his welding talents to build things, well into his 80s. He loved his family, was a faithful soul, who loved his Catholic faith, making a final pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Wisconsin, in June of 2025. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Staples.
His memory will be cherished by family and friends. Richard is survived by one son, Jeff (Kim) Koppes; three daughters, Deanna (Mike) Soukup, Doreen (Scott) Nelson, Sherri (Linus) Koval; four step-children, Ronald (Cheryl) Martin, Dale Martin, Mike (Mary) Martin and Patty (Tim) Wiebold; 15 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, one brother in-law, Paul Marte, Jr., one sister in-law Elinor Reger and many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Donna Koppes; wife, Jean Koppes; three brothers, Raymond, Jr. (Delores), Lawrence (Eileen), Harold, Jerold (Kaye); ibe sister, Marie Marte and one grandson, Mitchell Richard Koppes.
Arrangements are by Brenny Family Funeral Chapel, Staples.
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