Ivyl Kopecky

Ivyl Kopecky, age 85 of North Branch, Minnesota, formerly of Ree Heights, South Dakota, died Wednesday, August 10, 2016. Ivyl was born October 31, 1930 to Frank and Winona (Davis) Kopecky, south of Ree Heights, South Dakota on the farm. He attended a small one room country school thru eighth grade and went on to attend high school in Ree Heights, South Dakota. He was united in marriage to Betty Steele at the Ree Heights Congregational Church in 1951. He proudly served his country in the US Army during the Korean Conflict; from 1952-1954. Together, Ivyl and Betty made their home across the road from where he was born, south of Ree Heights. He built up his own blacksmith shop; working on and fixing farm equipment, building stack movers, and bale grinders. He was always building something. He was on the Cedar Township Board, Board of Directors for REA, started Hand County Sno Goers Snowmobile Club, and sold Scorpion snowmobiles. In 1973 they moved to Jamestown, ND to work as a design engineer for Haybusters MFG, now known as DuraTech. They later moved to Ypsilanti ND, south of Jamestown. They moved from Ypsilanti in 2008 to live with their daughter, Brenda and her husband, Kevin in East Bethel, Minnesota. They made their final move in 2015, to assisted living in North Branch, Minnesota. Ivyl and Betty loved traveling on their Honda motorcycle; proudly traveling most of the US. They loved going dancing and listening to country music. He is preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Winona. He will be deeply missed by his beloved wife, Betty; daughter, Brenda (Kevin) LaDouceur of Cedar, Minnesota; granddaughter, Nikki (Ryan) Odens of Dwight, North Dakota; grandson, JD LaDouceur (friend, Jodee Wald) of Mapleton, North Dakoa; great-grandson, Emery Odens. Private Family Graveside Services will be held at Morningside Cemetery in Ree Heights, South Dakota at a later date.



Funeral Home: Mattson Funeral Home 343 North Shore Drive Forest Lake, MN US 55025

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Thursday, August 11, 2016

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