Veronica J. Ropele

She was born in Hermansville on June 21, 1929. Veronica was the 10th child of 12 children born to Joseph and Anna (Nazay) Rodman, immigrants from Croatia, which was known at the time as Yugoslavia.

Veronica grew up in Hermansville and graduated from Hermansville High School in June of 1947 as valedictorian of her class.

After graduation, she attended Badger Business College in Green Bay, Wis. Her first places of employment were in the Thiensville, Wis., area for the Herbert A. Nieman Fur Company and the First National Bank of Thiensville.

She later returned to Norway, where she married Marvin Ropele on Aug. 8, 1953, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Hermansville, and resided in Norway, where they raised their family. He preceded her in death on Sept. 8, 1969.

She became employed as a part-time secretary at Holy Spirit School in Norway. In April, 1977, when the First National Bank of Hermansville opened a branch bank in Quinnesec, she was hired as a teller and was employed there until she retired on Dec. 31, 1994, also having served as their branch manager. After retirement, she served as their 55 Plus Club coordinator. She graduated from Northern Michigan University’s School of Banking.

In 1993, she received the Athena Award, which was given to the top business women in Dickinson County who played an important role in business and local communities.

After she retired, she spent her leisure time doing volunteer work. She counted money for 13 years at St. Mary Catholic Church in Norway and was a member of their St. Vincent de Paul Society. She spent time at the local nursing home helping with their socials. She was active at Holy Spirit School helping as bookkeeper for their fundraisers. She was a former member of the Norway-Vulcan Women’s Club and a long-time member of the Croatian Fraternal Union Holy Cross Lodge 259 in Hermansville.

She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, reading, crossword puzzles, talking on the phone connecting with her friends and family and watching sports on TV, especially the Packers and Michigan State Spartans.

She was a devoted and loving mother to her children, Michael (Diana) of Howard City, Mich., and Winter Haven, Fla., and Lori (Roger) Birenbaum of New Berlin; and proud grandmother of Nicholas and Noah Birenbaum of New Berlin. She is also survived by her sisters, Frances of Milwaukee and Barbara (Richard) of Edina, Minn. and one brother, Frank of Hermansville and sister-in-law, Lois Erspamer of Marquette. She was the fond aunt to many nieces and nephews.

She is further survived by step-grandchildren, Teri (Jeff) Ouderkirk and their children, Libby (Eli) Adams and Evan Ouderkirk, their children, Reagan, Elias and Thea Adams, as well as Chris (Teri) Underhill and their children, Teagan, Trevor, Taylor and River.

Besides her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Joseph, John, Nick and Rudy Rodman; her sisters, Anna and Mary Rodman, Dorothy Occhino, Kathryn Bugni; and brothers-in-law John Lodde Sr., Joseph Occhino, John Bugni, James Erspamer and Stanley Moln; sisters-in-law Lucille Rodman, Colleen Rodman and Ernestine Moln; and nephew John Lodde Jr.

The gathering will be on Saturday, Aug. 22, at St. Mary Catholic Church, 401 Main St., Norway, from 9 to 10 a.m., with a memorial Mass celebrated at 10 a.m. with Fr. Timothy Ekaitis presiding.

Memorials appreciated to Holy Spirit Catholic School, 201 Saginaw St. in Norway.

Interment will be in Norway Township Cemetery.

Please visit www.informedchoice.org to send online condolences to her family.