Alfred A. Roepker

Alfred A. Roepker, 94, of St. Libory, died Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014, at CHI Health St. Francis in Grand Island. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Libory's Catholic Church in St. Libory. The Revs. Sidney B. Bruggeman and Richard L. Piontkowski will officiate. Burial will be in the St. Libory's Catholic Cemetery in St. Libory. Visitation will be Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the church, with a 7 p.m. vigil service. Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is in charge of the arrangements. Mr. Roepker was born on April 21, 1920, on the family farm southeast of St. Libory, the son of Anton and Johanna (Grotz) Roepker. He is survived by four daughters and three sons-in-law, Julie and Ron Dvorak, Teresa Jansen, and Rita and Don Schmidt, all of St. Libory, and Laura and Greg Olson of Grand Island; and two sons and one daughter-in-law, Mark and Laura Roepker and Allen Roepker, all of St. Libory; and one sister and brother-in-law, Marie and Bernard Faber of Holstein. He is also survived by 18 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Alfred grew up on the family farm and attended Howard County District No. 49 rural school. He then attended a welding school in Sioux City, Iowa. As a young man he worked in the shipyards in Bay City, Michigan and later in Oakland and Alameda, California for four years. He then returned to St. Libory where he farmed and also worked at the Cornhusker Army Ammunitions Plant in Grand Island. He was united in marriage to Betty R. McDonald on Nov. 4, 1953, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Grand Island. The couple farmed their entire married life on the Roepker homestead. Betty died on March 6, 2009, and Alfred continued to live on the farm the rest of his life. He was a lifelong member of the St. Libory's Catholic Church, the Platt-Duetsche of Grand Island and Knights of Columbus Council No. 1918 of St. Paul. Alfred and Betty enjoyed dancing for many years. He also loved farming and was very proud of the family pond that he built. Family was very important to Alfred and he always looked forward to spending time together. In addition to his wife, Betty, he was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Genevieve Mathis; and two brothers, Arnold and Kenneth Roepker. Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.