Standing: May, George, Jane, Ivan, Betty, Bill, Phyllis
Front: Emil & Mabel (Dietz) Opperman
May Thomas Opperman was born May 12, 1924, in Coon Rapids, Iowa, to Wesley Lynk and Freida Elsina (Weaver) Thomas. She grew up on a farm in the Star Community of Union Township outside of Coon Rapids with her brothers Wes and Bill and sisters Ruth and Dorothy. She attended Star School, graduated from Coon Rapids High School and enrolled at Iowa State College.
May graduated Iowa State College with a degree in Home Economics. She was proud to also include that she almost had a minor in chemistry. While at Iowa State, May was employed by the Iowa State College Library and then joined Dr. Peterson at Iowa State College as a Research Associate where together they won an award for research.
While at Iowa State she met George Opperman at a FarmHouse fraternity dance when she "wanted to dance with someone tall." George and May were married on June 17, 1944, a union that lasted 71 years.
After a brief stop in Beloit, Wisconsin, George and May moved to Manning, Iowa, and began life on the farm where they started and grew their family to include six children. While in Manning May was active in the First United Methodist Church, PEO, Homemakers Club, and the Carroll County Republican Party.
When George accepted a job back in Beloit, Wisconsin, they moved there to continue their lives together. May continued her involvement in various activities, including the River of Life First United Methodist Church in Beloit where she was a member of the United Methodist Women, Lay Leader, Trustee, and helped with funeral luncheons. May was the Past President of the Intermediate Women's Club, a member of PEO and the Rock County Republican Party. May was able to travel to many countries with George when he was working with the Foreign Agricultural Service. But her biggest thrill was going with the Beloit Methodist Church Choir to perform in England.
May enjoyed spending time with family and enjoyed her own interests. She was an avid sports fan, especially when Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, the Cyclones or Packers or her kids were playing. She was an avid reader and spent many enjoyable hours with a good book. May was also especially adept at playing cards, especially Bridge and Duplicate Bridge, and participated in many card clubs throughout her life. She and George even enjoyed playing golf together later in life.
May was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings, her husband George and children Tom, Doug, Dave, and Don and grandson Brian.
She is survived by her daughter Mary Opperman of Prineville, Oregon, and son Mike Opperman (Kelly) of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, and grandchildren Mariah, Micah, Melissa, KatIE, Maggie, and Jack, three great-granddaughters and many nieces and nephews.
Burial services will be held at the Manning Cemetery on Saturday October 14, 2023, with a luncheon to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made
to the donor's favorite charities in May's name.
https://www.daleymurphywisch.com/obituaries/May-Opperman/#!/Obituary
As they say "life isn't fair" and the Opperman family has had more than their fair share with losing family members at a relatively young age and so close together.
George & May Opperman - our neighbors 3/4 mile to the northwest as the crow flies.
So hard to believe that all three of the triplets are now gone.
Back: Robbie Iddings, Dave Kusel, Bruce Pfannkuch,
Tom Opperman
Front: Opperman triplets
Dave Kusel's 1964 birthday party at the Kusel farm
Don Opperman passed away October 26, 2021 - the last of the triplets
Dave Kusel's 1964 birthday party at the Kusel farm
Thomas George Opperman MHS 1975
Don Opperman MHS 1977
Dave Opperman MHS 1977
Doug Opperman MHS 1977
Michael Opperman - Former MHS 1986
1st Lieutenant George W. Opperman
Ivan Opperman MHS 1943
Ivan Opperman 1969 VFW
William Opperman 1985-86 & 1996-97 Legion Commander
Opperman cousins in Manning City Park
From the 2006 Manning Quasquicentennial history book
George enrolled in Dairy Science and minored in Journalism at Iowa State University in 1940 and joined Farm House Fraternity. He achieved a 3.4 grade average and received his degree from ISU in the spring of 1947. Then he took a job as editor of Brown Swiss Bulletin with the National Brown Swiss Association at Beloit, Wisconsin. It was a wonderful experience for George, but after three years the Iowa farming urge got the best of him and he returned to the farm in Manning.
On June 17, 1944, George married May Thomas from Coon Rapids, his college sweetheart. They moved to a 240-acre farm north of Manning owned by his father, Emil Opperman. They had hogs and beef cattle, but dairy farming with Brown Swiss cows was their major enterprise. George was active in many farm organizations and was president of the Brown Swiss National Association. They added to their family while on the farm: Mary in 1954, Tom in 1956, Don, Dave and Doug in 1958 and Mike in 1968.
In 1981 George was offered and accepted the position as secretary {CEO} of the National Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders Association of the United States. They moved to Beloit, Wisconsin at that time. George helped develop foreign markets for U.S. Brown Swiss semen and embryos and the Identity Enrollment program. He retired in 1988 but continued as a consultant.
Next George was asked to organize and head the U.S. Dairy Genetics Council by the U.S. Foreign Agriculture Service. All of the U.S. Dairy Associations and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture asked for help to develop foreign markets for their cattle, semen and embryos. Over a six-year period he traveled to fifteen foreign countries. He received a plaque from FAS in appreciation for his service and in April of 1996 he retired.
George worked with the University of Illinois on a book called The Dairy Cow Today and The First 50 Years for the Dairy Shrine, a national organization of which he was also president. George also wrote articles for Hoards Dairyman, a national dairy magazine and for The Draft Horse Journal.
May and George have been active in many community organizations. They have enjoyed traveling around the U.S. and Canada in their fifth wheel camper. Their children have all graduated from college and are gainfully employed. Their son Doug was killed in an automobile accident in 1991. They have seven grandchildren: Mariah and Micah (Mary); Melissa, Brian and Katie (Tom); Maggie and Jack (Mike).
Amos Kusel, Alvin Musfeldt, George Opperman,
Merlin Musfeldt, Bill Campbell (Ag Teacher) taken in the Ag room in the basement of the old gym.
Opperman family farm home
Back: Hattie Schroeder, John, Hannes, Anna Gebhart
Front: John, Herman, Magdalena (Karstens), William, Tracy Klindt
Herman Opperman died shortly after this picture was taken
It shows how generational the connections are with families of the area, especially the Opperman & Kusel connections.
Battle of Wauhatchie - WWI Soldiers
"Umbrella Rock" at Lookout Mountain, Tennessee
Mabel Opperman, 1953 Legion Auxiliary president
Emil & Mabel Opperman
Back: Emil Opperman, Rudolph Opperman
Front: Lena (Opperman) Ranniger, Mamie (Opperman) Schmidt
Ninth Grade Graduation
1938 football team
Back: Coach Gordon Winlock, Raymond Thompson, Merlin Struve,
Gerald Struve, Burdette Schroeder, Dick Ohm, Jim Rowedder, Elvin McConnell, Coach John Hall
Second: Merlin Welch, Frank Bliefert, Robert Kruse, Duane Bartels, Russell Wiley, Wayne Accola, Labert “Bud” Stahl
Front Row: Wayne "Pedro" Schrum, Melvin Kusel, Lyle Arp, George Opperman,
Harold Nickum, Francis Zerwas, ??
April 6, 1939 Future Farmers To Stage 3 Skits
The F.F.A. is a national organization of boys under 21 years of age. William B. Campbell, head of the Manning Vocational Agriculture Department is sponsor of the local organization, made up of high school students and those who have graduated in the last year or so. These students are required to establish livestock or farm produce projects as a part of their work. These various projects were the subject of interest for the organization members and their fathers in Sunday's tour. The visits to the several farms clearly showed the outstanding work accomplished by these students who carry on their projects systematically and by proven methods. Records covering all feed data, costs etc. are maintained by the boys so that actual cost of production will be known and margin of profit established upon marketing.
The caravan stopped first at the Herman Hargens' home at the south edge of the city where the F.F.A. unit's own project is carried on. The class borrowed $100 to start it. They now have 20 market pigs, consisting of two litters, averaging 130 pounds. To date they have $64.00 in their project. They are able to keep a very accurate account of all expenses due to the fact that all feeds, Mineral etc. are bought at market prices.
The next stop was at the Jack Keat farm where his son Kenneth exhibited 27 fine pigs averaging 145 pounds, farrowed March 1st. In the beginning Kenneth had three sows and predicted he would have 27 pigs. He did. He predicts he will clear about $162 on his project and he probably will.
Glen "Red" Struve, son of George Struve, was the next stop. Glen showed three fine Shorthorn market steers from the George Struve and Sons purebred herd. The visitors could well have spent half a day looking over the fine herd but lack of time made it impossible to witness all of the fine animals now being prepared for showing at the leading fairs and expositions. Glen intends to show his steers at the State Fair, at Westside, Carroll and other fairs.
Glen also showed a litter of 6 Chester White purebred pigs, 150 days old and averaging 185 lbs. They were some of the best ham sandwiches on the hoof, witnessed on the day's trip. His records show that to date he has $6 a head in this project. Another project of his consists of two litters of market pigs, self fed and on clean ground.
Roger and Lyle Eich exhibited their hybrid seed corn project. These lads purchased 2 single crosses after being bred up for 10 years or so and their final cross makes a 4-way cross. These two boys also showed their purebred Duroc-Jersey hog exhibit. They realized 15 pigs out of one sow, having used a substitute sow for 6 of the number. Their display showed an ideal system of self feeding.
Alvan Hansen's project was the next stop and the group saw two fine Black Angus steers. Alvin paid about $65 each for them, and stated that they consumed from 24 to 26 pounds of feed a day apiece. One of the steers shows good prospects for exhibiting by Ak-Sar-Ben time A litter of 9 Spotted Poland China pigs was shown by Gene Strathman. These pigs were farrowed March 24th and will average 90 pounds or better.
Ivan Opperman and George Opperman showed 2 Shorthorn steers averaging 830 pounds and four Hereford steers. George also has a Spotted Poland China project, on clean ground and featuring self feeding.
The next stop was at the Herman Lage home to see Wesley Lage's litter of 9. These pigs were Lage's purebred Spotted Poland farrowed April 20th and will average 90 pounds or better.
Bob Kruse exhibited one of the best set-ups of the day. He has his litter of 9 on clean ground, has self-feeding, temporary shelter, etc. He has $43 in his project to date and his fine looking pigs will average 115-120 pounds.
Billy Meggers, a freshman student showed two fine litters of 13 Hampshire market pigs, averaging about 110 pounds. They farrowed March 19th and to date he has $25 in them. He has them on clean ground and feeds corn, soybeans, and some mineral.
A market litter of 8, farrowed March 28th, was shown by Virgil Bueltel. These pigs will average close to 100 pounds. He has his pigs on clean ground and they are self-feeders. He had one of his father's (Frank) sows to begin with.
Glen Jensen, a graduate of this year's class at Manning, was the last stopping place for the caravan. He showed a fine litter of 9 Hampshire pigs, farrowed March 25th, averaging 100 pounds. He has $26.00 in his project to date. He has the litter on clean ground, feeds corn, tankage and the other requirements.
The tour continued to the city park where a basket dinner was enjoyed by the group. Following the dinner a kittenball game between the fathers and sons was staged with the fathers winning 17 to 11 in an overtime battle.
The remainder of the projects, most of them south of town will be visited in another tour in the near future according to Mr. Campbell.
George & May on the right side
Jane Opperman babysitting Dave Schroeder on the Schroeder farm.
A few excerpts from George Opperman's "Bye George"
There is a copy in the Manning Library
Bye George
Purchase of Manning Mill - George Opperman