Richard "Dick" D. Stoppenhagen

Richard D. “Dick” Stoppenhagen, 82, of Monroeville, Indiana passed away Wednesday evening, January 23, 2019 at Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home in Fort Wayne.

He was born on August 22, 1936 in Allen County, Indiana to the late Raymond E. Stoppenhagen and the late Berniece C. (Holle) Stoppenhagen. He married Darlene A. Bultemeier on July 13, 1958 at St. John Lutheran Church, Bingen.

Dick was a member of St. John Lutheran Church, Flatrock in Monroeville, Indiana where he had served in numerous church offices and was active in the church choir and the seniors group at church. His passion for singing also led him to become involved with the Lutheran Men of Song. Dick served his community through the Hoagland Area Advancement Association & the Heritage Lion’s Club.

Dick was a 1954 graduate of Hoagland High School. He retired in 1994 from General Telephone with thirty-one years of service and had worked from 1996 to 1999 for Overman Telephone Company. In July of 2004, Dick started working part time for Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home and continued until this past year. It was during this time that he realized his true calling in life…serving others as he would want to be served…the Golden Rule.

Dick enjoyed traveling with Darlene, painting, & helping create banners for many organizations. It was his traveling with Darlene that allowed him to visit and become involved in his children’s and grandchildren’s activities and lives as they established their own lives in other parts of the country. He had a servant’s heart and his greatest retirement gift was being able to assist others in their lives.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Darlene Stoppenhagen of Monroeville; daughter, Laurie J. (Carl) Eubanks of Nashville, IL; son, Dan R. Stoppenhagen of Austin, TX; brother, Denny (Cheryl Ashbaucher) Stoppenhagen of Hoagland, IN; four grandchildren, Grant McClintock, Caitlin (Manuel) Ferreira, Austin Stoppenhagen, and Danielle Stoppenhagen; and his first great-granddaughter, Olivia Ferreira, to be born in February.

Dick was preceded in death by his brother, Donald Stoppenhagen and sister-in-law, Kay Stoppenhagen.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, January 28, 2019 at the St. John Lutheran Church, Flatrock with Rev. Douglas Christian officiating. Burial will follow at St. John Lutheran Cemetery, Flatrock.

Family & friends will be received from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday, January 27, 2019 at Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home in Decatur and from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the church on Monday.

In lieu of flowers, Dick’s family requests memorial donations be made to the St. John Lutheran Church, Flatrock; Worship Anew; or Hoagland EMS.