Dennis E. Koep, age 88, passed away at the St. Cloud Hospital, Nov. 29, 2021. Funeral services for him and his wife, Verna (Bendickson) Koep, were 11 a.m., Dec. 17, at Love of Christ Lutheran Church in St. Cloud. The Rev. Steve Klemp will officiate and burial will be at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Sauk Rapids. Visitation was one hour prior to the service Friday at the church. Arrangements are entrusted to Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Sauk Rapids.
Dennis was born July 29, 1933, in Alexandria to Evangeline Koeplin, who later married Andrew Koep. He attended his first school years at District 33, Nidaros Township, and the Vining and Clitherall Public Schools. Dennis finished high school at Battle Lake Public School and graduated in 1952. He served from 1953-55 in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict. After the Army, he became a certified diesel mechanic and worked for Butler Machinery Co. in Fargo, North Dakota, and Grand Forks, North Dakota, for five years. Dennis was united in marriage to Verna Bendickson Nov. 29, 1957, and they lived in Grand Forks for two and a half years. He then took a job in road construction with Tennefos Construction Company and worked in various parts of North Dakota and South Dakota before moving to Brainerd in 1963, where he operated a gas station and Brainerd Truck Service for five years. In 1968, he was employed as general manager at Central Truck Equipment in St. Cloud. Then in 1978, he worked as a licensed real estate agent, built homes and developed Brenda Lee Addition in Sartell. He also was a school bus driver for a number of years. In his later years,Verna and he operated an out-post telephone book delivery route. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sauk Rapids and served on boards including lay ministry, Christian education chairman and school board. Dennis then became a member of Love of Christ Lutheran Church in St. Cloud where he served as an elder. He was a member of the American Legion Post 254 and served as a former chaplain and vice commander. Dennis enjoyed tending his various vegetable and flower gardens, deer hunting, wine making, camping and family trips, traveling in the motor home with Verna, and spending time with his family and friends. He loved his Bobcat as one of his favorite toys. He had a strong faith, great sense of humor, enjoyed story-telling, loved learning new things, being frugal, and working with his hands. He had a very mechanical mind and could fix most anything.
Dennis is survived by his wife, Verna of Sauk Rapids; children, David (Sandra) Koep of Rice, Marla (Terry) Elness of Sauk Rapids, Brenda (David) Hallman of Maple Grove, and Sandra (Wayne) Rymer of Alexandria; sister Yvonne Olson of Fergus Falls; brother Allen Koep of Battle Lake; six grandchildren Kyle, Drew, Candice, Kelly, Jordan and Megan; and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his mother, father, step-father Andrew Koep and half-brother Lee Peterson, of Oregon.
Obituary, guest book and video tribute available online at www.williamsdingmann.com.
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