Donna Jean Kopfmann

Donna Kopfmann died early Sunday morning November 1, 2009 at her home in Streeter, after her battle with cancer.

Donna Jean (Jager) Kopfmann was born August 24, 1954 to August and Nellie (Lobban) Jager at Huron, South Dakota. She grew up five miles northwest of Alpena, South Dakota and was baptized in the American Lutheran Church in Huron. She was confirmed in the United Church of Christ in Alpena and graduated from Alpena High School in 1972.

Donna was united in marriage to Darwin Kopfmann on September 3, 1972 at the Alpena United Methodist Church. They lived on the Kopfmann family farm near Alpena before moving to Huron in 1973. While in Huron she was a secretary for a realtor, employed by Brown Shoe Fit, and was a teacher's aide at Huron Colony, McKinley, and Wilson schools from1973-1976. She served as secretary at Riverview United Methodist Church from 1983-1994 and was the Christian Education Director at First United Methodist Church from 1989-1994.

She was an active Jaycette, a school room parent for nine years, president of the Jefferson PTO, served on the Huron Middle School and Huron High School Advisory Boards for seven years, and was president of the Huron Tiger Roar Sports Club.

Rev. Kopfmann was appointed pastor to the Ashley and Forbes, North Dakota United Methodist Churches in 1994. Donna was vice president of the Ashley Sports Club, member of the Button and Bows Extension club, employed by the Ashley Drug Store, and did secretarial and janitorial work for the churches.

They were appointed to the Clear Lake and Gary, South Dakota United Methodist churches in 2001. She was employed as janitor at Clear Lake United Methodist Church, substituted in the school kitchen and at Kid's in Motion Day Care, delivered Meals-on-Wheels, and served as a hospice volunteer. They were appointed to the Streeter, Medina, and Tappen, North Dakota United Methodist churches in 2004. She had been serving as parish secretary.

Donna made church a priority, playing in bell choirs, teaching Sunday school and Bible school, and working with youth groups. A member of the United Methodist Women since 1976, she served as a local, district and conference officer. She received "The Woman In Mission Award" on numerous occasions. She and Darwin were Mission Secretaries in South Dakota and recent Hunger/Poverty Coordinators in North Dakota through the Board of Global Ministries.

She enjoyed mission trips, vacation travels, reading, collecting angels and spending time with her family. Faith was important to her and she wanted to be Christ's example in the world. Favorite expressions were "Life is what you make it", and "I plan to make it interesting" and "It'll be OK!"

Grateful for sharing her life are her husband; daughter Amy (Jerrod) Busch, Huron, South Dakota; son, Daniel (Carri) Kopfmann, Mitchell, South Dakota; the lights of her life, grandchildren Ashley and Ethan Busch and Owen Kopfmann; her mother, Nellie Jager, Huron; aunts and uncles; all her many special cousins; and all her special brothers and sisters-in-law and their families.

Donna was preceded in death by grandparents, James and Ruby Lobban, and Carl and Emily Jager; and her father.

The Funeral Service will be at 10:30 AM Wednesday November 4, 2009 in the Streeter Memorial Hall in Streeter, ND with Rev. Bruce Adams, officiating. There will be a second service at 10:30 AM Thursday at the First United Methodist Church in Huron, SD with Revs Steve Foss and Don Crippen, officiating.

Visitation - 1 hour before services.

Interment will be made in the Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery at Huron, South Dakota

Arrangements are by the Haut Funeral Homes in Jamestown, ND and Kuhler Funeral Home in Huron, ND

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials.