Kenneth John Hopperstad

Obituary
Kenneth "Kenny" John Hopperstad August 31, 1934 – May 20, 2023
Kenneth John Hopperstad of Luverne, MN peacefully entered the Kingdom of God on the afternoon of May 20, 2023 with his wife Hazel at his side. He was 88 yeas old.
Kenny, as he was known to his friends, was born August 31, 1934 in Albert Lea, MN to Edwin Kenneth ("EK") Hopperstad and Sarah (Kinden) Hopperstad. He had an older sister, Ann Iris, and two younger sisters, Frances and Marilyn. EK owned the Touristville Service Station in Mason City for a couple years before buying the Ford garage in Emmons, MN. At the start of World War II, the family moved to Long Beach, CA where Kenny grew up. After his discharge from the United States Marine Corps during the Korean Conflict, Kenny settled in Albert Lea and worked at the Wilson and Company packing plant where he met the love of his life and his wife of almost 67 years, Hazel Marie Christensen.
They began farming south of Emmons, MN, then west of Emmons, and finally buying the Kinden family farm from his uncles and aunts north of Lake Mills, Iowa. Their family grew by four sons, Kenneth, James, John and Robert, during that time. After John graduated from high school, Kenny and Hazel bought a farm outside of Pigeon Falls, WI and stayed in that area until Robert graduated from high school. He then accepted a position as a USDA Food Safety inspector and they moved to Luverne, MN.
He was outgoing and made friends easily. Kenny was a millwright at the Wilson's packing plant and could fix almost anything. He was an expert welder and a voracious reader, and enjoyed making people laugh.
Survivors include his loving wife, Hazel, sons Kenneth, James and his wife Grace, and John and his wife Nina; sisters Ann Iris White and Frances Ranelli; grandsons Mark and Jacob Hopperstad; wonderful neighbors Jolene and Mike Cronin; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Joining Kenny in heaven are his father and mother, EK and Sarah Hopperstad; son, Robert Hopperstad; daughter-in-law Lucy Hopperstad; sister Marilyn Skinner; brothers-in-law Bob White and Gino Ranelli; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Frances and Phillip Teetzel.
Kenny's memorial service will be 2:00 pm on Thursday, May 25, 2023 at the Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne, MN officiated by Monsignor Gerald Kosse. A time of fellowship will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Thursday. Inurnment will be a private family gathering at a future date.
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