Remembering our roots ~ Howard and Karen Roppel

John Godsman
Times Contributor

 

The Roppel family came from Central Germany about 1850, and settled in Bruce County, Ont. Howard Roppel’s father, Simon, was born there in 1886, and moved to Rockyford in March 1918 with his wife Mary, and his two brothers, George and Louis. They began farming 4.5 miles north-northwest of Rockyford.
Howard was born in Calgary, and attended Rosebud Valley School from Grades 1 to 6. When the school closed, he was bused to Rockyford in an ancient seven passenger Packard – probably the first school bus in the area. After graduating from Grade 12, he studied architecture for a year in Winnipeg, before deciding to farm. He graduated from the University of Alberta in Edmonton with a degree in agriculture in 1955.
From ages 8 through 12, Howard took piano lessons, until the teacher stopped coming from Calgary. He enjoys music, plays the piano daily, and has been involved with music at Rockyford United Church for over 50 years, singing in choirs and playing the organ.
As a teenager, Howard was very involved with the 4-H grain club, tending a wheat plot during the summer, and preparing grain samples in the fall for the Drumheller 4-H, which involved eight grain clubs. The top samples went to the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, and in 1951, Howard won the world wheat championship. He travelled to Toronto to accept his prize, and the CNR Trophy was displayed at the CIBC Bank in Rockyford.
Previously, he had won the provincial plot championship twice, which included an award trip to Toronto for 4-H members from across the country. As a spin off, Howard was a pedigreed seed grower for years, and a Rockyford 4-H crops club leader.
After graduating from the University of Alberta, Howard became active with farm organizations as an Alberta Wheat Pool delegate, a Unifarm director, and with the seed growers association.
Karen was born and raised in Edmonton, the eldest of three sisters. She attended the University of Alberta, and graduated in psychology in 1961. During her time at university, she befriended Lois Griffiths of Rockyford, and while spending a weekend with Lois, attended Rockyford United Church where she met Howard. They were married in June 1961, and have four children – Alison, Mark, David and Stephen – and four grandchildren. They continue to live on the farm, and in the house they built 48 years ago.
Karen is an avid gardener, and in 2002 her garden was featured in Harrowsmith magazine. Throughout the years, she was very involved in the Girl Guides, and has served as a Girl Guide captain, camp advisor and commissioner.
Karen’s church involvement began at Rockyford United Church, and continued to the United Church Women in Alberta, where she has served as conference president, the national church and Alberta Northwest Conference president. Karen enjoys reading, and has participated in a Canadian literature class in Calgary for many years.
Howard and Karen both love to travel, and enjoy seeing new people and places. On a recent cruise in South America, they visited the Falkland Islands and made contact with a descendant of the Rudd family, which a century ago owned much of the land where they live and farm today.
The main changes they note are the decline in small towns and villages in this area, large farm sizes and the new technology available in farm equipment.