Donald Gerald Popp, 85, Royalton

June 27, 1936 - August 1, 2021

Donald Gerald Popp, 85-year-old resident of Royalton, MN died Sunday, August 1 at the St. Cloud Hospital.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, August 5 at 11:00 A.M. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Royalton. A visitation will be held from 4:00-8:00 P.M. on Wednesday evening and from 10:00 A.M. until the hour of the service on Thursday at the church in Royalton. A Knights of Columbus Rosary will be said at 6:00 P.M. followed by Parish Prayer at 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday evening. The burial will be held in the parish cemetery.

Donald Gerald Popp was born on June 27, 1936 in Little Falls to the late Julius and Gertrude (Wollak) Popp. The family made their home in the Little Rock area. Don attended rural country school near Little Rock until the eighth grade. He graduated from Sauk Rapids High School with the class of 1955. He proudly served his country in the United States Army for five and half years. Donald met the love of his life, Dorothy Kremer and they were united in marriage on June 27, 1959 at St. Paul's Church in St. Cloud. The couple made their home in Bloomington, MN for 16 years, until Don purchased his uncles farm in Royalton, MN in 1974. They farmed for several years, even continuing after he formally retired in 1986 from the Ford Motor Co. in St. Paul, MN after 32 years. Don enjoyed farming, feeding the birds, gardening, flower beds (Chicks and Hens). He did not enjoy when the squirrels would get into the bird feeder! He was active with the St. Cloud Pantowners Car Club for many years. In later years he was an active participant in the Morrison County Fair. Don and Dorothy enjoyed spending winters in Arizona and Florida for fifteen years. They also enjoyed traveling, especially the trips to Germany, Rome and Hawaii. Don will be remembered for his generous heart and willingness to help others whenever he could!

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Dorothy of St. Joseph; children, Dan (Marilyn) Popp of Becker, Doug (Jane) Popp of Royalton, Deanna (Allen) Hughes of Superior, WI and David (Brenda) Popp of Silver Lake; siblings, Larry (Lela) Popp of Eagan, Marcy Herold (Ron Habhab) of Rochester, MI, Curt (Terri Crawford) of Ventura, CA and Marge (Larry) Theisen of Woodbury; grandchildren, Krista (Milton) Ventura, Nathan (Erica) Popp, Sr. M Gianna Agnes, MC (Laura), Isaac (Maggie Helegland) Popp, Jacob Popp, Hannah Hughes, Alexander Hughes, Emily Popp, Nicholas Popp, Rachael Popp, Kaitlyn Popp and Gavin Popp; great-grandchildren, Isabela Ventura, Lucas Ventura, Elena Ventura, Gianna Ventura, Addison Popp and Elizabeth Popp.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Julius and Gertrude Popp.