Russell Hoppner

Russell Hoppner, 72, of Hampton, passed away Wednesday, October 20, 2010, at his home.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday, October 24th, at the Hampton High School Auditorium. Pastor Chris Kester Beyer will officiate. Visitation will be from 6-8 P.M. Saturday at the United Lutheran Church in Hampton. Higby-McQuiston Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com. Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimers Disease Foundation, American Heart Association or Tabitha Hospice

OBITUARY: RUSSELL HOPPNER

Russell Warren Hoppner, the son of William and Delphia (Meyer) Hoppner, was born at Walthill, Nebraska, on December 20, 1937, and died at Hampton, Nebraska, on October 20, 2010.

Russell grew up in Pender and graduated from Pender High School in 1956. Following graduation he joined the Geodetic Survey in the Aluetian Islands. Russell then returned to Nebraska and attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and graduated from Wayne State Teachers College.

Russell began his career as a business teacher at Rosalie in 1962. From 1965 to 1966 he worked for the NSDA while completing his Master’s degree from University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He was the Principal at Cedar Bluffs from 1966 to 1967 and Superintendant at Trumbull from 1968 to 1970. After one year as the Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent at Bellevue, he became the Superintendent at Hampton in 1972 until his retirement in 2006.

Russell was a member of the American Association of School Administrators, and served as President from 1984-1985, Nebraska Council of School Administrators, and served as President from 1985-1986, Nebraska Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, National Rural Education Association, Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association, Nebraska Schoolmasters Club and Phi Delta Kappa.

His other professional activities include: Member of Advisory Council of the Educational Service Unit #9 in Hastings, Member of the Advisory Council for the Center of Rural Education and Small Schools, Trustee of Wayne State College Foundations and Trustee of Nebraska Council on Economic Education at the University of Nebraska Lincoln.

Russell’s non-education experience were Chief Administrator of the Division of Dairies, Foods, Weights and Measures for the Nebraska State Department of Agriculture. He also worked as an asbestos inspector for the state of Nebraska for 20 years.

He was a frequent speaker and panelist at National, State and District NSBA and NASA conventions and numerous other professional and fraternal conventions, meetings and workshops.

Russell enjoyed mushroom hunting, traveling, camping, gardening and spending time with his grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and grandson Tyler J. Hoppner.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 49 years, Marilyn Hoppner; sons, John (Marilee) Hoppner of Corvalis, Oregon and Jim (Shawnda) Hoppner of Austin, Texas; daughters, Cathy Vande Mheen of Omaha and Diane (Monty) Hanel of Honey Creek, Iowa; 12 grandchildren, Joshua, Aaron and Mark Hoppner, Kyle, Dylan and Jayden Hoppner, Casey, Kaitlin & Kylie Vande Mheen and Shanda, Drake and Danica Born; brothers, Lloyd (Jeanette) Hoppner of Colville, Washington and Bill (Nancy) Hoppner of Lincoln; sister, Peggy (Pat) Welsh of Gretna; and many other relatives and friends.