Funeral services for Wilma E. Schopp, 85, of Lemmon, SD will be Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lemmon. Rev. Mike Roehl will officiate and burial will follow at the Greenhill Cemetery in Lemmon. Visitations will be from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, July 24 at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon and one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday morning.

WILMA ELIZABETH RIEGER was born at Athboy, SD on June 10, 1924 to John and Pauline (Sonnenfeld) Rieger. She grew up on her family's farm and attended Athboy School. Wilma worked at the Veal Black Angus Ranch and for a time at the Grocery Store in Lemmon, SD. She and Emil Schopp grew up as neighbors together and began a courtship. Wilma and Emil were united in marriage on October 21, 1945 at Athboy. They began their married life together on Emil's parents farm where they lived for 2 ½ years. Emil and Wilma purchased the Halverson place north of Meadow where they farmed and ranched together side by side for many years. To this union three children were born, Arnold, Helen and Karen. In 1984, their son took over the family farm and Emil and Wilma moved into Lemmon.


Wilma was a lifetime member of St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lemmon. She was a founding member and was involved with various functions of the church, very instrumental in Ladies Aide, and taught Sunday school. Wilma was very involved in 4-H and the Perkins County Extension Club. She enjoyed bowling for many years, especially with Emil.


In 1989 her health began to fail and Emil cared for her at their home in Lemmon. Emil passed away on Sunday, March 14, 2004 and shortly thereafter, Wilma entered the Five Counties Nursing Home in Lemmon, where she passed away on Tuesday, July 21, 2009.


Grateful for sharing in her life are her children, Arnie (Dr. Melody) Schopp, Meadow, SD, Helen (Marty) Hersrud, Las Vegas, NV and Karen (Bob) Heier, New Castle, CO; eight grandchildren, Dr. Heather Schopp, Stephen Schopp, Adrianne, Calandra, Kristen and Charles Hersrud and Scott and Mary Jo Heier-Peterson; six great grandchildren, Sydney, Alex and Emilee Heier, Sage, Avery and Eli Peterson; four brothers, Herbert (Ruth) Rieger, Willmar, MN, Oscar (Lorraine) Rieger, Rapid City, SD, Ray (Doris) Rieger, St. Paul, MN and Robert (Evelyn) Rieger, Lemmon, SD and one sister, Lorraine (Ernest) Schafer, New Leipzig, ND.


Wilma was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Emil, a brother and a sister in infancy, a brother, Henry and three sisters, Viola, Elnora and Virginia and one granddaughter, Alivia in infancy in 1974.