Garold A. Koopman

Garold A. Gary Koopman, 65, of Mason City, died Thursday, April 7, 2011 at his home surrounded by his family after a courageous battle with cancer. Funeral services will be held 10:00 A.M. on Thursday, April 14, 2011, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 329 East State St., with Rev. Sid Bohls officiating. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, with Military Honors performed by the Iowa Army National Guard. Visitation will be held 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Memorials may be directed to St. Paul Lutheran Church or Hospice of North Iowa.
Garold was born September 13, 1945 in Cherokee, Iowa, the son of Knudson and Helen (Heinen) Koopman. He graduated from W.B. Ray High School in Corpus Christi, Texas; he earned a B.S. in Accounting from Arizona State University and an MS-Logistics Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology.
He married Linda D. Ficken on February 17, 1968 and had two children, Elizabeth (Koopman) Hughes and Philip D. Koopman. Garold had the honor of serving his country through twenty one years of military service in the U.S. Army. During that time he served in combat in Vietnam and was assigned to twelve different units. He earned twelve military medals, including the Legion of Merit for Service, Bronze Star for Valor and a Purple Heart.
A life-long outdoorsman, Garold loved to hunt, fish, and just be outdoors. In retirement he enjoyed traveling with his wife, Linda and loved farming. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Pleasant Ridge Club, and the Grapevine Twist Square Dance Club. Garolds family was important to him and he loved the time he spent with them. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Garold is survived by his wife, Linda; mother, Helen Koopman of Phoenix, AZ; children, Elizabeth Hughes and husband Steve of Cedar Falls, IA, Philip D. Koopman and wife Katie of Cedar Rapids, IA; four grandchildren, Ethan, Andrew, Natalie and Miles; brother, Craig Koopman of Phoenix, AZ; sister, Vanessa Volquardsen and husband Steve of Phoenix, AZ; brother-in-law, Edwin Ficken of San Dimas, CA; two nephews and two nieces of Phoenix, AZ. Garold was preceded in death by his father, Knudson Koopman and parents-in-law, Edwin and Rosie Ficken. The family would like to thank Dr. Bate, Dr. Vemula, Dr. McKone and the entire staff of the Mercy Cancer Center for their kind and caring support.

Memorials:
Memorials may be directed to St. Paul Lutheran Church or Hospice of North Iowa.

Cemetery:
Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, with Military Honors performed by the Iowa Army National Guard.

Visitation:
Visitation will be held 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave.

Service:
Funeral services will be held 10:00 A.M. on Thursday, April 14, 2011, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 329 East State St., with Rev. Sid Bohls officiating.