Kopernik, Rose Marie (Panek)

Rose Marie (Panek) Kopernik, 75, of Marion, passed away peacefully Friday, July 30, 2010. Mass: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, August 4, 2010, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Marion. The family will greet friends from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Marion, with a Scripture service beginning at 7 p.m. Graveside service: Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. Following graveside service, a luncheon will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marion.

Survivors include her daughter, Kathleen (Blake) Mohr of Lino Lakes, Minn.; sons Michael (Kim) Kopernik of Cedar Rapids, and Thomas Kopernik of Marion.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Henry “Hank” Kopernik; sisters, Maxine Slater and Magdeline Boston; and brother, Joseph Panek.

Rose Marie was born May 25, 1935, the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Yanda) Panek in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she lived for 45 years. She graduated from St. Wenceslaus High school. Rose Marie was a proud graduate from Mount Mercy College. She married Henry Kopernik on Nov. 30, 1957, and was happily married to him for 33 years. Rose Marie was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marion for 45 years. She worked in the medical field since she was 15 years old and retired from Weland Laboratory in 1996. Rose Marie loved spending time with her family and grandchildren.

A memorial fund has been established in Rose Marie's memory.

Please sign the online guest book for Rose Marie at under obituaries.