Laura Pope, 98

Laura Pope of Kimball died Thursday, March 17, 2016, at her daughter’s home in St. Cloud. She was 98.

Mass of Christian Burial will be heldf at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 24, at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Pearl Lake with Fr. Ron Weyrens as Celebrant. Burial will follow in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at Dingmann Funeral Care Chapel in Kimball, and one hour prior to the service Thursday at the church.

Laura Catherine Pope was born Dec. 27, 1917, in Maine Prairie Township to Joseph and Margaret (Bichler) Scheeler. During World War II, Laura worked for Northwest Airlines as a tube bender in order to convert planes into bombers. She attended beautician school and worked as a hairdresser. Laura was united in marriage to Wheeler H. Pope Nov. 15, 1947, at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Pearl Lake. Together they farmed and raised their family in Maine Prairie Township. 

Laura was a lifelong member of Holy Cross Catholic Church where she belonged to the Christian Mothers: they made many pillows, pot holders, quilts, and other items for the church. She enjoyed gardening, canning, doing crafts, drawing, painting, and babysitting her nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and neighbors. Laura had a love for music; she played harmonica and wrote her own songs. She loved jokes, especially her own. Laura had a great memory and was a great historian; she loved keeping the family heritage alive.

Laura was preceded in death by her parents; husband Wheeler; son Wayne; sisters Alvina Knott, Marie Pope, Elsie Pope, Regina Krippner, and Margaret Grams; brother Jerome Scheeler; an infant brother and an infant sister.

She is survived by her children Gale (and Colleen) Pope of Kimball and Audrey Pope of St. Cloud; daughter-in-law Cindy Pope of St. Cloud; grandchildren Travis, Lindsay, Justin, Kylie and Mikey; great-grandchildren Alexis, Isabelle, Kainen, Weston, Oliver and Ashtyn; sisters and brothers Al (and Christine) Scheeler of Kimball, Rosella (and Harold) Smoley of St. Cloud, Clarence (and Gertrude) Scheeler of Kimball, and Ray (and Esther) Scheeler of St. Cloud.