Paula Joan Roehrkasse Knepper

1937 - 2021

HOLDREGE - Paula Joan Roehrkasse Knepper, 84, of Holdrege died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, in her home.
A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 4, at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Holdrege with Rev. Kenton Birtell officiating.
Family members will greet friends and relatives for an hour before and after the service.
Visitation will be 1-4 p.m. Sunday, April 3, at Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege. Family members will be there 2-4 p.m.
A family inurnment will be later that week at Woodlawn Cemetery in Grand Island.
A buffet meal will be served, starting immediately after the memorial service.
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Paula Joan was born on Nov. 11, 1937, in Grand Island. She was the first of three daughters born into the musical family of Raymond and Pauline (Holtorf) Roehrkasse. She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church, Grand Island. She graduated from Grand Island High School in 1955.
She graduated with distinction from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelor's degree in music education. During her junior year, she counted just three days when she wasn't either performing or rehearsing. She was selected for Alpha Lambda Delta freshman scholastic honorary, Pi Lambda Theta education honorary, soprano soloist for The Messiah, and leads in several University of Nebraska at Lincoln theater productions, including the Kosmet Klub The Pajama Game. She was a member of Sigma Kappa social sorority and Mu Phi Epsilon music sorority.
While at the university, she was active in the University Lutheran Chapel and choir. There she met her future husband, Ralph Eldon Knepper, who recently passed on Aug. 8, 2021. The couple married on Aug. 2, 1959.
Paula pursued a master's degree in music with an emphasis in musical theater and opera while Ralph finished his degree in engineering. Ralph accepted the position of hydraulic engineer for Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District, which brought them first to Hastings and then to Holdrege in 1963.
Within six weeks, her musical talents were noticed, and she was asked to serve on the Community Concert Association Board of Directors. Most recently Paula served as the president of The Tassel performance center.
She taught vocal music at Oxford, Minden, and Holdrege, had a private voice studio in her home for decades, directed choirs at Mt. Calvary and Bethel Lutheran Churches, created and directed the community's annual Prelude to Christmas on Christmas Eve for more than 30 years, and was the director of The Group (a choir of 32-36 adult members, vocal students and accompanists). This select group of singers performed in the Holdrege area for decades, especially throughout the Christmas season.
Students and adults from towns more than 50 miles away also began finding their way to her home studio, where she taught voice lessons and prepared them for contests. At one time, she was giving as many as 50 voice lessons each week. While students waited before and after lessons, her husband Ralph treated them to soda pop in the sunny kitchen on the south side of their home. Throughout the years, she created a community of talent, teaching two and now three generations of musicians. "What really amazes me through all of this is that every community has talent like this," Paula said. "I'm always amazed at what comes to my door because I have never had to advertise. I just open my door, and the talent is there. God has provided talent like this everywhere. My life has been so beautiful."
Throughout their 62-year marriage, Ralph and Paula were totally committed to each other in every endeavor, especially after Ralph's diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Paula and Ralph were blessed with a loving extended family of sisters, brother in laws and nieces and nephews. They hosted the extended family to a weekend at the Lake Jeffrey Lodge every year.
Paula was active in Chapter H of PEO, AAUW, Camp Fire Girls, the Library Board, Alpha Delta Kappa, and the Arbutus Bridge Club. Paula and Ralph were avid golfers and members of the Holdrege Country Club. Paula won several women's club championships, competed at state golf tournaments, and served on the board of the Nebraska Women's Amateur Golf Association.
She enjoyed reading, painting, and travel. The couple attended concerts and Opera Omaha productions for decades. They attended all of the Cornhusker home games and several bowl games. They toured Germany, Holland, Austria, Denmark, Russia, Greece, Turkey, Canada and the Hawaiian Islands. They often spent time on South Padre Island, Texas after the hectic Christmas season.
Survivors include her two sisters, Claire Eason and her husband Michael G. Eason of North Bend, Nebr. and Kathryn Trebelhorn of McAlester, Okla.; three sisters-in-law, Doneta Steinert of Lincoln, Berneta Steinert of Wauneta and Shirley Pamp and husband Jim of Centennial, Colo., and numerous nieces, nephews and their families.
In addition to her husband; Paula was preceded in death by her parents; and three brothers-in-law, Glenn Trebelhorn, Bernard and Ray Steinert.
Memorials are suggested to the Phelps County Community Foundation and Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church.
Visit nelsonbauerfh.com to leave condolences.