Obituary

Katie Leona Ropp, 95, a retired Hesston College accountant, died Tuesday (June 8, 2010) at Schowalter Villa retirement center in Hesston.

She was born on Jan. 5, 1915, in Pigeon, Mich., the daughter of Moses S. Ropp and Katherine Eimen Ropp.
She and her family later moved to Kalona, Iowa, where she attended grade school. In 1933, she graduated from Kalona High School. She spent one year attending Goshen College in Goshen, Ind. For a number of years, she worked in a general store as clerk and bookkeeper, at a Children’s Home in Kansas City, Mo., and as a secretary at the local high school in Kalona. In 1944, she moved to Hesston and became matron of Green Gables at Hesston College. In 1946, she became the first full-time accountant for the college and worked in finances until 1986, when she retired and moved to the Schowalter Villa campus.

Through the years, she developed many friendships with faculty and staff at Hesston College plus many from the local community. In her 40 years at Hesston College, she served under five of the seven presidents and attended six of their inaugurations. She spent many hours reading, writing the Ropp family history and contributing to the recording of historical records for Hesston College and Schowalter Villa through the years. Katie was a member of Hesston Mennonite Church. She accepted Christ as her Savior in her youth and enjoyed attending church and its related activities. Her friendly and joyous spirit made her special.

She is survived by nephews, Keith Erb of Sun City, Ariz., Curtis Miller of Pretty Prairie, Lyle Miller of Bakersfield, Calif., and Vernon Miller of New Boston, Ill.; nieces, Geneva Spicher Yoder of Hampton, Va., Carol Erb Dickhut of Sterling, Ill., and Donnabel Spicher Hostetler of Hesston; and numerous great and great-great nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Cleora Spicher, Blanche Miller, Alta Erb and Rozetta Miller; an infant brother, Omar; and three nephews, Samuel Spicher, Doyle Miller and James Miller.

Family will greet friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday at Schowalter Villa Chapel in Hesston. Funeral services will follow at 2 p.m. Saturday at Schowalter Villa Chapel with Pastors Cheryl Hershberger and Wendy Miller officiating.
Burial will follow in Eastlawn Cemetery in Hesston. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Hesston College Nursing Scholarship Fund or Schowalter Villa Good Samaritan Fund in care of Miller-Ott Funeral Home.