Joanne Joyce Popp Lippold Schnackel was born July 6, 1932 on a farm near Botna, Iowa. She first attended school in Manilla, Iowa from kindergarten through grade five. Her family moved to a farm south of Manilla where she attended a rural school a mile across the section. Joanne was the only girl in the school. walking up and downhill to school located on the diagonal side of the section in all kinds of weather with brothers brings back memories of how cold they were in school as they sat near a potbellied stove to thaw out. It seems by the time they felt nice and warm, it was time to walk that mile home in the cold again. One day a herd of curious cattle made them run to find refuge on the other side of a fence. Another day her brother Eugene carried her for some distance on the way home.
Joanne’s Dad worked as a hired man in Manilla and later on a farm south of Manilla. After that, they moved southeast of Walnut to the Osler farm. Joanne graduated from the eighth grade while attending a rural school about a half mile west. She ruptured her appendix during the summer of her eighth-grade year and was hospitalized for two months missing half of her freshman year. After recovering, she rode to Walnut with Mabel Drake in her Model A who taught north of Walnut. Soon after this, school buses came into use and she graduated in 1950. From her freshman year to her junior year she lived in Walnut, Iowa with the Walt Kohlscheen family and babysat their twin children, Karen and Kreig. Later she worked for a short time for the Goodyear family just east of the school and cared for their two children, plus did light housekeeping.
Thanks is given for the encouragement of a home economics teacher in high school. it was through Miss Kegley that Joanne obtained a scholarship to the University of Northern Iowa. After attending UNI for five quarters, a teaching job was obtained at Pleasant #5 country school southwest of Avoca in Pottawattamie Country. After teaching there for three years, she was united in marriage to Earl Theodore “Ted” Lippold and they moved to a farm near Minden. There is where Bruce Alan was born October 4, 1958 after being married for six years. Reno Todd was welcomed into her world about 17 months later July 17, 1960.
Joanne taught in the Minden School grades one and four for five years. After the birth of her two sons, Bruce and Reno, she retired to raise a family until the boys were in the second and third grades. By this time, the Lippold’s had moved southeast of Avoca to what was known as “the timber farm” (now owned by Cathy Schultz). After substituting in the Avoca, Shelby, and Minden Schools, a permanent position in the Shelby school district opened. She taught there for 27 years in the first, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade classes. Teaching science in the last ten years for the fourth-sixth grades was her love and specialty.
Joanne retired from her teaching position on June 5, 1993. This marked her teaching career of 33 years as an elementary educator. After 1 ½ years or retirement, a job as a GED teacher opened on the campus of the Iowa Western Community College in Harlan where she taught until the tornado of 1996 destroyed their home on the acreage south of Shelby.
Joanne was active in the Christian education of her children and “retired” in 2000 after teaching the last class of High School students in the Calvary Baptist Church in Walnut. After the death of her husband of 47 years, Earl T. Lippold on January 16, 2001, she lived at 322407 390th Street southeast of Shelby as a widow.
Enjoyment of raising a garden and lots of flowers as well as maintaining the yard work was her pride and full-time job at that time. The Federated Women’s Club of Avoca, the Study Club of Shelby, Corner Attic Painting Club, helping improve the four-mile bike trail through Shelby, Dorcas Women’s group in Walnut Calvary Baptist, Bible Study groups, babysitting with great nieces, and helping friends were also her interests during the years there in her home.
On August 31, 2002, Verne Schnackel and Joanne were united in marriage in Walnut at Calvary Baptist Church with Pastor Paul Hutchins and Bruce Lippold officiating. Reno Lippold and Albert Schnackel were the witnesses in a small informal wedding. Teresa Hutchins and Laura Hansen decorated the church and served the lunch. On July 26th an auction of the property on Silver Creek preceded the sale of the home on July 31st to the Abascal family from Bellevue.
After her marriage to Verne, Joanne moved to 21 Greenwood Trail in Montana which became their home in the Elkhorn Mountain area south of Helena where she lived for 20 years. Verne and Joanne’s interest in the photography of wildflowers, scenery, and animals helped her learn more about her new home. Bible study and working with a computer were a blessing and challenge. A prison pen pal ministry started in 1994 and writing to others to share God’s word was a worthwhile activity which gave her joy and to be able to share. She chose Psalm 41:103 to be on her headstone with a picture of a deer.
Joanne is survived by her sons, Bruce Alan Lippold (Susan) of Indianapolis, IN, and Reno Todd Lippold (Mi Ae) of Sioux City, IA; grandchildren, Alayah Lynn, Miciah Marcel of Indianapolis, IN, and Linda Jennifer Lippold (Fred Perrotta) of Walnut Creek, CA; brother, Eldon Jon “Butch” Popp of Walnut, IA; sisters-in-law, ; and many nieces, nephews, and their children.
Joanne is preceded in death by parents, Erwin and Eldren Popp; her first husband, Earl Theadore Lippold (Avoca, IA); her second husband, Verne Schnackel of Clancy, MT; brothers and sisters and their spouses, Virgil Lloyd (Molly) Popp of Sun Valley, CA, Marlene Kay (Max) Pangburn of Atlantic, IA, Eugene Howard (Marilyn Blanchard) Popp of Atlantic, IA, Darold Henry (Janet) Popp of Avoca, IA, Duane Ivan (former wife Jane) Popp of Avoca, IA, Carol Ann (Art) Malloy of Audubon, IA, Dallas Dean Popp of Avoca, IA, Sandra Popp of Walnut, IA, and infant brother Ronald Popp.
Celebration of life and memorial services will be held on Saturday, May 30th at 10 AM at the Walnut Community Center. Lunch and visitation with the family will follow the service at 11:30 AM.
Final arrangements and care are entrusted to Shirley Brothers Washington Memorial Chapel.
