back to home page  

back to KHS Graduates

back to Klemme School

Ethel Irene Kropp

1913 - 1999

Ethel Irene Kropp the daughter of Herman and Lillian (Blumer) Baack was born March 22, 1913 on a farm near Klemme. She attended the rural schools and graduated from Klemme High School. She received her elementary teaching certificate at the Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls and taught in the rural schools of Hancock County for several years.

On May 26, 1936 she was married to Caris "Barney" H. Kropp at the Immanuel Reformed parsonage in Klemme. They farmed in Liberty Township for ten years until 1946, when they moved to Concord Township and continued farming until Caris' death in 1979. Ethel continued to live on the home farm until moving to Concord Care Center in October of 1994.

She enjoyed flowers, gardening and sewing and working with ceramics and artwork. She was a member of the Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church, Garner Homemaker's Club and the Ventura Garden Club.

She is survived by her daughter, Carita A. Dahlberg of Hopkins, MN; her son Carroll Kropp and his wife, Janet of Saint Joseph, MO; three grandchildren, Corey Lynn Kropp, Michael Macey, and Cara Rose Kropp; her brothers and sister, Roy Baack and his wife, Bernice, of Thornton, Dorothy Howie and her husband, Jim, of Garner, Robert Baack and his wife, Ruth, of Britt, and Richard and his wife, Jean, of Klemme; a sister-in-law Darlene Baack of Klemme; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Caris, January 12, 1979; parents; a son-in-law, Douglas Dahlberg; a brother, Paul Baack; and a sister, Norma Mauritz.

************************************************************