Virginia Hoppe

VIRGINIA MARIE HOPPE

Amana

Virginia Marie Hoppe, 81, died Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, at Colonial Manor, Amana. Celebration of Life services: 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 12, at Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo, with Elder Alan Trumpold officiating. Burial will be at the Amana Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Safe Haven of Iowa County.

Virginia is survived by her son, Robert (Emilie) Hoppe of West Amana; and her daughter, Ginger Myers of Amana; and three grandchildren, John Hoppe, Amana, Anna (Tyler) Schumacher, Iowa City, and Kathryn (Jeff) Meyer, Rowan. Also surviving are a brother, Don Krauss; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Hoppe, in 1991; her son-in-law, Chris Myers, in 2012; her brother, Marvin; and sister, Lucille Eckman.

Virginia Marie Krauss was born Feb. 7, 1935, in Amana, the daughter of Helen M. Seifert and Dave G. Krauss. She was a 1952 graduate of Amana High School. During high school she waited tables and worked in the kitchen at the Colony Inn. Later she joined her father, who was manager of the Amana Furniture Shop, as a salesperson and bookkeeper. Virginia was united in marriage to John William Hoppe of Middle Amana on May 9, 1953. In 1956, Virginia, along with her husband; father, Dave; and brother, Marvin, opened Krauss Furniture and Clock Shop in South Amana, where Virginia worked for 51 years as a co-owner, bookkeeper and salesperson. She loved her work and took pride in the Krauss family tradition of high-quality craftsmanship.

After visiting Safe Haven of Iowa County and noting their need for a larger, better equipped facility, Virginia suggested that her family give the former Krauss Furniture building to the nonprofit animal shelter. In 2012, Virginia and the Krauss family did just that. Virginia adopted her beloved pet cat Pearl from the new facility in South Amana when it opened.

Virginia loved being a parent and grandparent and enjoyed every moment she spent with her triplet grandchildren. Always kind and always upbeat, Virginia rarely complained, not even when losing her beloved husband, John, nor four years ago when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She remained cheerful always and resolutely smiled, living to see both her granddaughters' wedding days and to enjoy not one, but several more Caribbean cruise vacations with her daughter. As Virginia so often said, "You have to thank God for every single day and live life to the fullest." That she did, enjoying her pets, the out of doors, mushroom hunts and picnics in the Amana forest, long lunches at her favorite local restaurants and time spent with her family and her friends.

Online condolences may be left at www.klosterfuneralhome.com.