Clarence Victor Koop
Funeral services for Clarence Victor Koop will be at 2 p.m. Friday in the Corn Mennonite Brethren Church, officiated by Pastor Tim Sandy.
Koop died Monday, Aug. 25, 2014, in the Corn Heritage Village at Corn. He was born Jan. 19, 1923 in Fairview, the son of Ben and Olga Koop.
At age of 11, Koop was hired out to Henry and Marie Penner to work for room and board. At the age of 6, he started school at the rural school east of Fairview. Later, he went to Golden Valley school west of Fairview. After he went to Valley Center he dropped out of school after seventh grade to work and help with the care of children. There were 11 children, including six boys and five girls.
Koop went on wheat harvest with cousins Gene and Harold Fast.
When the family moved to Fairview, Clarence and his mother went to work at Hailain Turkey Plant. He also helped Waymon Comelson on his ranch, working land and trucking.
In 1942 during World War II, Koop opted to serve his country in alternate service as a conscientious objector and was sent to Ft. Collins, Colo. to work in government projects such as building fences and roads.
Three years later on March 10 the war came to an end and Koop went back to work for Waymon Comelson and later for David Martens.
After a 1 year courtship, Clarence and Ella Mae became husband and wife on May 21, 1950. They moved into an upstairs apartment in David Marten’s house as he continued to work for the Martens.
In February of 1951 they moved to the countryside outside of Com to take over Ella Mae’s parents’ farm.
When Clarence came home from harvest and field work was done, he found a job working for Dean Jones of Clinton, helping build steel barns. The boys were growing and were trying their best to eat Clarence and Ella Mae out of house and home, but the young couple always seemed to manage just fine. Clarence went on to work with JR Bergman building houses.
In 1969 Clarence and Ella Mae decided to build a new house in town.
1970 Clarence’s father passed away, the farm had increased to 3 quarters, the custom harvest business had grown and changed partners from Arthur Dyck to Roy Flaming. Ella Mae and the kids also went on harvest, helping where they could.
Clarence finally retired from helping on the farm in 2012, and he eventually moved to Corn Heritage Village.
Preceding him in death were his wife, Ella Mae; brothers, Clifford and Alfred; sisters, Eva, Frieda, Olga, Clara, Lorene; and a grandson, Kevin Scott.
Survivors include his children, Ernie Koop and his wife, Sandy, of Corn, Loren Koop and his wife, Linda, of Yukon, and Anita Fransen and her husband, Scott, of Clinton; his brothers, Leonard Koop, Benjamin Koop and his wife, Mary, Wilmer Dean Koop and his wife, Sally; grandchildren, Anna Terry and her husband, Matthew, of Fort Wentworth, Ga., Janice Koch and her husband, Trent, of Weatherford. Carolyn Martens and her husband, Levi, of Fairview, Ryan Fransen, Kaci Fransen, both of Norman, and Chelsea Koop of Yukon; and great-grandchildren, Rachel, Tyler, and Andy Koch, of Weatherford.
Burial will follow in the Corn Cemetery, under the direction of Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home of Clinton.