Donald James Koopman

Donald James Koopman, age 88, of Colton, passed away on Monday, January 16, 2023, at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls. Funeral services will begin at 10:30 AM Saturday, January 21, 2023, at West Nidaros Lutheran Church, rural Crooks. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Friday, at the Minnehaha Funeral Chapel, Colton, with a Prayer Service beginning at 7:00 PM. Funeral will be live-streamed on the West Nidaros Facebook Page. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Orchard Hills golf cart and activity fund or Willow Creek Lutheran Church.

Don was born on September 21, 1934, to Gerrit and Helen Anna (Persing) Koopman. He grew up in Colton and graduated from Colton High School. After graduating, he helped local farmers until enlisting in the United States Navy. Following his honorable discharge from the Navy, Don returned to Colton to help his dad at Koopman Hardware & Propane, which became a lifelong career with Koopman Gas.

On August 14, 1959, Don married Donna Lee Langloss at West Nidaros Lutheran Church. They lived for a short time in Sioux Falls until moving to Colton in 1960. Soon after that in 1967 Don and Donna moved to the farm where they raised their family.  After moving to the farm, Don continued to work for Koopman Gas and did custom spraying, whitewashed dairy barns, and farmed on his own.

Don enjoyed bowling and would rarely miss playing bingo at the Dell Rapids American Legion on Thursday nights. His favorite past time was spending time with family and friends and attending his grandchildren’s many church and school activities at Tri-Valley & Sioux Valley Schools.  In 2012, Don and Donna were selected to receive the Tri–Valley Butch Bachman “Fan of the Year” award. Don was a past member of the Dell Rapids American Legion and the Elks. He was also a member of Willow Creek Lutheran Church, a past member of First Lutheran Church in Colton, and was active on the Taopi Township board for many years.

Survivors include his children: Kim (Randall) Questad of Baltic, Kari (Kevin) VanderWal of Volga, and Dan (Stacey) Koopman of Hartford. He was blessed with nine grandchildren: Katie (Kevin) Hoekman, Sarah (Justin) Jenness, Jared (Nicole) Questad, Dallis (Amanda) VanderWal, Collin VanderWal, and Lane VanderWal; Ashlyn (Don) Richards, Logan (fiancé Jaiden Baumgartner) Koopman, and Brayden (Katie Balay) Koopman; great grandchildren: Anna, Peter, Esther, & Elijah Hoekman, Simon, Siri, & Judah Jenness, Haislee, Wrenlee, & Laynee Questad, and Emma, Riker, & Benjamin Richards; siblings: Doris Schildhauer of Colton, SD, Lloyd (Carolyn) Koopman of Smithville TX, and LeRoy (Marie) Koopman of Colton SD; brother and sister in law: Kathy Koopman, Coppell, TX, and Rick English, Scotland, SD;  Donna’s siblings: James (Lila) Langloss of Sioux Falls, and Marv Wieman of Crooks; special family friends, Deb Swier McCain; and many other nieces, nephews, family, and friends.

Don was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Donna on October 25, 2013; brothers, John (Barb) and Bill Koopman; sister, Evelyn English; and a sister-in-law, Elaine Wieman.

Don’s family would like to give a special thank you to his second family, the staff at Orchard Hills, for the loving care and friendship that they gave Don.