Luella 'Lou' Kopel Obituary

A Funeral Mass for Luella 'Lou' Kopel of Morris, formerly of Donnelly, Minnesota will be held on Thursday, July 24, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at Assumption Catholic Church in Morris with Fr. Todd Schneider celebrating the Mass. Visitation will be on Wednesday, July 23rd from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Pedersen Funeral Home in Morris and one hour prior to the services at the church on Thursday. Burial will be in St. Theresia’s Cemetery near Donnelly.

Luella 'Lou' Laura Matejka was born on March 3, 1928, in Moose Island near Donnelly, Minnesota, the daughter of Loddie and Lena (Smith) Matejka. She grew up on a farm in the Donnelly area with her 12 siblings. She attended country school and graduated from Alberta High School, Class of 1946.

On April 10, 1947, she married Edward 'Eddie' Kopel at St. Theresia’s Catholic Church in Donnelly. The couple made their home on a farm west of Donnelly where they raised their six children and Lou and Eddie worked on the farm. In September 2024, she moved to an apartment in Morris.

Lou loved gardening and was a Master Gardner; she felt that gardening was her therapy. She also enjoyed canning, cooking, baking, sewing, quilting, fishing and hunting. As well, she was known to dance on a table or two at wedding dances.

Along with participating in 4-H with her children, Lou was a member of the VFW Auxiliary, the Red Hats, St. Theresia’s Catholic Church in Donnelly and Assumption Catholic Church in Morris.

Luella died Friday, July 18, 2025, at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, Minnesota. She was 97 years old.

Lou is survived by her children: Lester (Sandy) Kopel, Ron (Sandy) Kopel, Mike (Joanie) Kopel, Pat (Chuck) Dingman, and Carol (Scott) Henderson; 15 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; brothers: Wayne (Dee Dee) Matejka and Vernon Matejka; and sister, Winifred Perl. She was preceded in death by her parents: Loddie and Lena; husband, Edward; son, Charles; and siblings: Roy, Clarence, Bernice, Jeanette, Bonnie, Betty, Glenn, Lillian and Evelyn.

Pedersen Funeral Home in Morris is in care of arrangements for Lou.