1920
Wynona
2013
Wynona Kopmeyer
March 14, 1920 — November 29, 2013
Wynona Bonita Gay (LaForte) (Hicks) Kopmeyer
Wynona (Nona) Kopmeyer was born March 14, 1920 in Frontenac, Kansas to Julius Alexander LaForte and Rose May (Neet) LaForte. She was raised in this coal mining town in Southeast Kansas. Wynona was from a family of 14 brothers and sisters. She grew up in the roaring 20's and the depression era of the 30's. She loved to dance and at one of these dances she met her late husband John Kopmeyer. She and John were married on January 20, 1940 in Miami, Oklahoma. Shortly after their marriage she and John moved to Kansas City, Missouri. While attending a movie they were informed that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor. Soon after the attack John left for the war in Europe and was part of the D-Day invasion, liberation of Paris and the Battle of the Bulge. While John was at war Wynona went to work in a bomber plant in Kansas City for Pratt Whitney. She was a "Rosie the Riveter". After the war Wynona and John raised their 4 children; Joyce, Johnny, David and Brenda in Overland Park, Kansas. As her children grew she took a job with the Shawnee Mission School District in the cafeteria department. She retired after 29 years of service.
Wynona deeply loved and cherished her immediate and extended family. She always spoke her mind and told you what she thought. One of her favorite saying was; "all crows think they have the blackest crows, but I know that mine are the blackest of all". She was proud of her French, English and American Indian heritage.
Wynona was sent to Heaven to be united with her many friends and family members on Friday, November 29, 2013, she was 93 years young. She is the last of her large family. She was preceded in death by her husband John on February 19, 1989. Those who have also passed before her include; her father Julius LaForte, mother Rose LaForte, brothers, Modest LaForte, Julius (Bud) LaForte, James LaForte, Willard LaForte, Leonard LaForte and Lester LaForte; sisters, Lillian LaForte, Edna LaForte Hollenbeck, Fern LaForte Green, Florene LaForte, June LaForte Segat and Audrey LaForte Parsons. Nona had a large family of Aunts, Uncles, nieces and nephews numbering in the hundreds.
She is survived by her husband, Norman Hicks; her daughter, Joyce Ford (husband Marc); son, Johnny Kopmeyer (wife Patti), son, David Kopmeyer (wife Karen) and daughter Brenda Kopmeyer Kaspar (husband Dick). Also, her grandchildren Tracy Beltram, Matthew Kopmeyer, David Kopmeyer, Joshua Kopmeyer, Whitney Small, Adam Kopmeyer, Abigail Mitchell, Nicholas Mitchell, Luke Kopmeyer and Maxwell Mitchell. And, is survived by 11 great grandchildren; Addison, Jack, Quinten, William, Johnny, Griffin, Elizabeth, Spencer, Brody, Nash and Zoey.
She is now with her people, her blood as she had wished and prayed for. She is loved by many and will be dearly missed by those who knew her. She leaves us with a "Jake Cogs" to all those who she knew and loved.
Wynona (Nona) Kopmeyer was born March 14, 1920 in Frontenac, Kansas to Julius Alexander LaForte and Rose May (Neet) LaForte. She was raised in this coal mining town in Southeast Kansas. Wynona was from a family of 14 brothers and sisters. She grew up in the roaring 20's and the depression era of the 30's. She loved to dance and at one of these dances she met her late husband John Kopmeyer. She and John were married on January 20, 1940 in Miami, Oklahoma. Shortly after their marriage she and John moved to Kansas City, Missouri. While attending a movie they were informed that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor. Soon after the attack John left for the war in Europe and was part of the D-Day invasion, liberation of Paris and the Battle of the Bulge. While John was at war Wynona went to work in a bomber plant in Kansas City for Pratt Whitney. She was a "Rosie the Riveter". After the war Wynona and John raised their 4 children; Joyce, Johnny, David and Brenda in Overland Park, Kansas. As her children grew she took a job with the Shawnee Mission School District in the cafeteria department. She retired after 29 years of service.
Wynona deeply loved and cherished her immediate and extended family. She always spoke her mind and told you what she thought. One of her favorite saying was; "all crows think they have the blackest crows, but I know that mine are the blackest of all". She was proud of her French, English and American Indian heritage.
Wynona was sent to Heaven to be united with her many friends and family members on Friday, November 29, 2013, she was 93 years young. She is the last of her large family. She was preceded in death by her husband John on February 19, 1989. Those who have also passed before her include; her father Julius LaForte, mother Rose LaForte, brothers, Modest LaForte, Julius (Bud) LaForte, James LaForte, Willard LaForte, Leonard LaForte and Lester LaForte; sisters, Lillian LaForte, Edna LaForte Hollenbeck, Fern LaForte Green, Florene LaForte, June LaForte Segat and Audrey LaForte Parsons. Nona had a large family of Aunts, Uncles, nieces and nephews numbering in the hundreds.
She is survived by her husband, Norman Hicks; her daughter, Joyce Ford (husband Marc); son, Johnny Kopmeyer (wife Patti), son, David Kopmeyer (wife Karen) and daughter Brenda Kopmeyer Kaspar (husband Dick). Also, her grandchildren Tracy Beltram, Matthew Kopmeyer, David Kopmeyer, Joshua Kopmeyer, Whitney Small, Adam Kopmeyer, Abigail Mitchell, Nicholas Mitchell, Luke Kopmeyer and Maxwell Mitchell. And, is survived by 11 great grandchildren; Addison, Jack, Quinten, William, Johnny, Griffin, Elizabeth, Spencer, Brody, Nash and Zoey.
She is now with her people, her blood as she had wished and prayed for. She is loved by many and will be dearly missed by those who knew her. She leaves us with a "Jake Cogs" to all those who she knew and loved.
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