Kenneth Kopp

1953 - 2022

Kenneth P. Kopp (1953 - 2022) Late of Tyvan, Sask. "Ken" or "Kenny" to some, was born to Angelina and Alphonse Kopp on December 6, 1953, and started life on the farm northwest of Odessa farm until his parents moved the family of six to Tyvan in 1961. Four years later the family welcomed another little baby girl, Anita. Ken and his four sisters attended their elementary grades at Tyvan school and then bused to Fillmore High school. He, being the only boy in the family, became somewhat of a pest and would love to torment his sisters. He did have a soft spot for his baby sister. The Kopp and Mireau families were large with a hoard of kids of all ages and frequent weekend gatherings were numerous and very busy. He loved their many Sunday family visits with his boy cousins just up the road from his birth farm. Ken had much fun riding minibikes and go-carts, hunting gophers in the pasture, playing in the hayloft and kicking around with the boys, a nice reprieve from his darling sisters! Reluctantly as a young boy, his mother enrolled him in accordion and organ lessons, but he was not thrilled that all the practice time was taking way from his play time. He also took base guitar lessons for a short while and he retained a little from those lessons, but he played mostly by ear; a skill inherited from his dad's musical family. Ken enjoyed his teen years and worked at odd jobs to earn his loved vehicles; all requiring a lot of TLC, often testing his patience. His pride & joy was his yellow 1971 GMC truck, another was his green Plymouth with push button shifter, and his 1963 Pontiac Laurentian. In his early adult years, he held full-time positions including working for the CP Rail on the Tyvan subdivision section crew; and for the Saskatchewan Department of Highways, Hwy 33 Francis division; he also worked as a farm hand for a few farmers, and he farmed with Carl Walters for a few years. In his late twenties, Ken developed health problems: Chrones' disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, kidney disease and a debilitating disease which causes spinal fusion. Throughout the last half of his life, his poor health kept him from holding a steady job and relied on his self-taught skills. He did his own basic electrical, carpentry, plumbing, and small motor mechanics. He enjoyed woodworking on his wood lathe and built several bird houses, toys, ornaments, and small furniture pieces. It was often a competition between his dad to build the better 4-story purple martin house. When his health would allow, Ken used his skills to help his neighbours and most often insisted on "doing things his way". He attended many Tyvan community events and shuffleboard and pool tournaments, enjoyed fishing and camping with Anita's family and visiting with Brenda and Marvin and her boys. He travelled with Donna and Lionel in the mid 80's to southern USA. He experienced many firsts, including his first ever commercial airplane trip which took them to Disney World, Sea World, and other tourist attractions, watched a Cape Canaveral rocket launch, rode in the gallery at the Dixie plantation's field trial, and washed his feet in the Atlantic Ocean at Daytona Beach. Ken spent much of his later life with frequent visits to doctors' offices and hospitals. It was not an easy time for him. Ken's family would like to thank the many doctors, hospital and health care providers in the Regina and Weyburn Health Districts who provided care over the many years. Thank you, Father Francis Plaparampil and St. Vincent de Paul church staff, volunteers and choir, the McKenna Hall, and RD Family Funeral Chapel staff for your compassionate assistance with Ken's memorial service. We extend our sincere thanks to Ken's good friends and neighbours who assisted him over the years, being his taxi, helping him with his projects and chores. A special Thank You to Dave and Sonya Menzies and Kim Woods for your friendship and for helping Ken and his family; we truly appreciate all you have done. We extend our thanks for the many sympathy messages to the Kopp family. Ken is predeceased by his parents and his sister Linda Ann; grandparents Elizabeth (Klotz) and Florian Kopp, and Christina (Jacob) and Aloysius Mireau; aunts and uncles: Pauline (Kopp) and Adam Schwartz, Michael Kopp, Minnie (Kattler) Kopp, Marlene (Stoeber) Kopp, Irene (Kopp) Cwynar, Joseph Kopp, and Joseph Markel; Margaret Mireau, Anton and Mary (Hackywicz) Mireau, George and Marlene (Ottenbreit) Mireau, Marie (Mireau) and Leonard Gill, Allan and Doreen (Marcia) Mireau, Edward Mireau and Edna (Baumgartner), Richard Matt, and several cousins. Ken is survived by sisters: Donna [Lionel Wanner], Brenda Skiba [Marvin Glab] and Anita [Mike Snider] and nieces and nephews and their families: Clayton Skiba [Heather (Harrison)], Karson and Matthew; Kevin Wanner [Marie (Ballenas)], Ainsley, Acacia, Evi, Deacon, Beckham; Terrance Wanner [Jessica (Botkin)], Kiara Botkin; Danny Skiba [Valerie (DeBruyne)], Hanna, Brooke, Easton; Michelle (Wanner)[Jacob Johnson], Jake, Pierce, Kaitlyn, Zeke; Ginger [Seth Peterson], Ruth, Bjorn; Jacob Michaelchuk [Katie Goetz],Anna, Abbot, Zeno, Zoe; Taylor Snider; and Tristan Snider [Justine Schlacter]. Ken is also survived by his aunts and uncles: Muriel Kopp of Indian Head,SK, George Kopp of Regina, Flora and Ben Gruber of Regina,SK., John Kopp & Beatrice Markel, of Calgary, AB., Hazel Matt of Saskatoon,SK., Santarita Cann of Prince George, B.C. and many cousins. We will miss you Ken. May You Rest in Peace. Arrangements were entrusted to RD Family Funeral Chapel & Crematorium, Weyburn, SK (848-0333 ~ 1-888-848-0333). Expressions of sympathy to the family may be sent to our website at www.rdfuneralchapel.com "Honouring Life and Celebrating Memories."