Jean A. Hopperdietzel

Jean A. Hopperdietzel, 86, Weston, died Thursday December 22, 2022 at her home at The Renaissance Assisted Living Facility under the care of her family and St. Croix Hospice after a very prolonged debilitating fight with the autoimmune disease Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS).

She was born September 22, 1936, in Wausau, daughter of the late Martin and Marie (Kroening) Kubitz.  Jean’s father bought a newly opened cheese factory, Rib River Cheese, where she worked up until her graduation from high school.  When she was a sophomore in high school, Arlon Hopperdietzel asked her to the movies.   Her mom said no, but her dad said it was okay.   Part way through the movie, they turned around and a few rows back sat her mother and father!  Arlon and Jean attended Athens High School together.  She was very active in high school as a cheerleader and drum majorette and Arlon was a high school athlete, playing basketball & baseball. On April 14, 1956, she married her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Arlon Hopperdietzel at Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens.  They celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary this year.  Arlon survives.

Prior to her retirement, Jean had been employed as a medical transcriptionist in numerous locations, as they moved around the country.   She loved caring for her children and grandchildren.  She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, sewing, gardening and singing in the choir at church.  She also enjoyed cooking and canning.  In her final years, when her body would no longer allow her to participate in many of her beloved activities, she loved watching Hallmark movies.  She followed her husband to San Francisco when he was drafted into the army shortly after their marriage.  Even though she asked Arlon not to start farming, she gamely worked alongside him when they bought Arlon’s fathers dairy farm and again when he bought a beef and hog farm in Missouri.   In addition to living in San Francisco, they also lived in Town of Main, WI; Athens, Georgia; Wausau, WI; West Plains, Missouri; Jersey Village, Texas and Montgomery, Texas on lake Conroe before finally returning home to Weston, WI in 2018.

Arlon and Jean knew the importance of living life to it’s fullest.  They enjoyed camping, fishing, swimming, and boating on their pontoon “Jean’s Dream”.  They made trips to the Grand Canyon, Wisconsin Dells, Stone Mountain, Disney World, St. Louis Arch, and skiing in New Mexico when their children were little.  Arlon retired early in 1992 and they bought an RV.  They spent14 years traveling the country in their RV with Jean being the navigator.   They drove up to Alaska on the Alaskan Highway, traveled The Top of the World Highway from Alaska to the Yukon for the 100 year Gold Rush Celebration.  Other trips were traveling along the east coast from Maryland up to Maine with their daughter and granddaughter, from Ft Meyer, Florida to Dollywood in Tennessee, and to California and along the Mexican border to visit Arlon’s sister, Emily.

Survivors include her husband, Arlon, Weston; son, Clay (Tracy Patrick) Hopperdietzel, Montgomery, Texas; daughter, Lisa (Michael) Pickens, Washington Island; grandchildren David, Kristen and Laura Hopperdietzel and Clay’s wife, Tracy’s, children Liam, Colin and Austin Patrick; Rachael (Dustan) Brenneman, and Elizabeth Pickens: great grandchildren twins Robbie and Jamie Brenneman and their soon to be born brother Danny Brenneman.  Besides her parents, Jean was preceded in death by two brothers and sister-in-laws, Glen (Doris) and Roger (Marlene) Kubitz.

A Memorial Service will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday April 22, 2023 at Memorial Chapel Mausoleum, Restlawn Memorial Park, Wausau.  Visitation will be on Saturday April 22, from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services at the Mausoleum Chapel.   Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to The Muscular Dystrophy Association to go toward the research into the treatment for Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS).