LeAnn Poppen's Obituary
LeAnn Poppen, a wonderful wife and mother, and longtime resident of Oregon City, passed away unexpectedly on October 30, 2013. LeAnn was born in a farmhouse in Madison, South Dakota on September 24, 1934, one of five children of Harry and Mary (Fordice) Clausen. She grew up on the family farm, but moved to town in her early teens and worked at the local movie theatre. Even with her ongoing vision issues she continued to love going to the movies with her daughters. After graduation from Madison High School, LeAnn attended college for two years at Dakota State. During and after college, LeAnn was a bank secretary in Madison.LeAnn began dating Milo Eugene Poppen in 1954. Milo proposed by saying "Let's get married and leave this terrible weather." Who could turn down that romantic proposal? They married on April 28, 1956, packed up Milo's 1953 Chevy and spent their honeymoon traveling throughout the Southwest to Oregon and settled near Milo's brothers in Oregon City. Milo and LeAnn soon started a family with Cyndy arriving in 1957, Patti in 1958 and Deborah in 1962. LeAnn loved begin a mom and made all the holidays very special occasions for her girls and many of the neighbor kids also joined in. She built a home with unconditional love, lots of fun treats and never missed a holiday celebration. Once the girls were school age, LeAnn found a job that enabled her to work and still be home with her children before and after school. She worked for the Oregon City School District as a teacher's aide for 25 years. During this time she also began selling Avon and just recently celebrated her 40 year anniversary as an Avon representative. An important part of raising their family was taking the girls on road trips to South Dakota each summer to visit their relatives and experience farm life. There were also trips to California. Once the girls were grown, LeAnn grew to love her time at the Oregon Coast. The family enjoyed 20 years of annual summer vacations, along with beach trips with just her daughters and granddaughter to celebrate Mother's Day and her birthday. LeAnn's grandchildren were the joy of her life and she spoiled them constantly. From shopping trips for new Lego sets to cards and gifts during college, she constantly reminded them of her love and support. Due to her failing vision and keyboard challenges, LeAnn stayed 'old school' and weekly dropped a note or card in the mail for a relative or friend. Those who knew LeAnn well know that she loved to decorate every corner of her house for all the holidays and she was always on the look-out for something new to add to her collections. LeAnn was an active member of the community serving as Treasurer of Oregon City Zion Lutheran Women's Club, including reconciling the weekly donations for numerous years. She was past Treasurer and is a current Drill Team Member of the Oregon City Elks Ladies Auxiliary Club and a member of the Oregon City Women's Club. LeAnn and Milo have many treasured friends through their Zion Lutheran Church family and the Oregon City Elks (where their 50th Anniversary celebration was held). They were blessed to have shared 57 wonderful years together surrounded by their three daughters, Cyndy Poppen (Wes Schwahn), Patti Mertz (Joe) and Deborah George (Don) and their five grandchildren, Andrew and Kevin Mertz, and Jeff, Mike and Ashley George. LeAnn's cheery personality, positive outlook and unconditional love for others will be missed by all who knew her. Our hearts are broken, but we find comfort in our memories, the love of each other and of her relatives and friends that so loved her. She will be forever missed.
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