Delores T. Koppes

God looked around his garden and he found an empty place. He then looked down upon this earth and saw your tired face. Delores T. Koppes, 87, of Dyersville, Iowa passed away Thursday, January 23, 2025, at her son Dale’s home in Dyersville, surrounded by family.

Visitation will be held from 3 - 7 p.m. on Friday, January 31, 2025, at Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville, Iowa. Visitation will continue Saturday morning from 9 - 10 a.m. at the funeral home prior to funeral mass.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, February 1, 2025, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville with burial in the church cemetery. Rev. Chris Podhajsky will officiate .

Delores was born November 28, 1937, in Petersburg, Iowa, on the family farm, daughter of John and Geneiveve “Jenny” (Kramer) Putz. Her parents wanted her to attend the country school on the four corners not far from home. Thanks to her grandpa, she attended the Catholic School in Petersburg. Her grandpa drove her to school every morning in a Model T. She graduated from the eighth grade and then worked on the family farm. On October 5, 1960, at the age of 22, she married Lawrence Koppes at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Petersburg and together had 6 children. They separated years later.

Delores was a stay at home mom until she started working in 1976. She started her career at Curran Hydraulics in Dyersville, Nobles in Farley, and Ertl Toy Company for 19 years in Dyersville, and Cascade Die Mold in Monticello for 11 years. She was 75 years young when she retired. Delores worked Third Shift and then came home to watch her granddaughters. Her pride was her home and her acre yard that she push-mowed as recent as two years ago. She loved the sunshine and warm weather. She also had a green thumb and loved to take care of her many house plants. She enjoyed quilting and canning her produce for several years as well. She loved to play cards and the many card games with her granddaughters. She was a member of St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville.

Survivors include her children: Diane (Dan Recker) Koppes of Luxemburg, Dan Koppes of Cascade, Alan Koppes of Antioch, IL, Dale Koppes of Dyersville, Joyce (Allen) Polfer of Farley, Cathy Koppes of Dubuque,

granddaughter: Nicole (Nick George) Polfer of Hiawatha, step-grandson, Allen (Amy) Polfer of Robins; step-great-grandchildren: Cora, Silas, Thomas; sisters: Doris (Henry) Kruse, Helen (Tom) Koopmann, Rita (Jim) Steffensmeier; brothers: Lawrence, Donald (Rosie) Putz; and a sister-in-law: Carol Putz.

She was preceded in death by her parents, granddaughter, Kaitlyn Ann Polfer on April 13, 2015; and a brother, Joseph Putz.