Date :
Location : St. Mary's Cemetery, Rock Valley, IA
After a week's sickness with diabetes J.B. Foppe, president of the Foppe Pioneer Store Co., died at his home in Rock Valley Sunday evening. On Saturday a week before his death he was at work in the store as usual and no one suspected that that day would be his last day's work in the store. The following Monday he sent word that he would not be at the store that day. From that time on he became rapidly worse until the final summons came Sunday evening. Almost from the first attack he realized that the end was approaching, and met it with the same courage and fearlessness with which he had met and overcome the difficulties of life.
Mr. Foppe was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sept. 15, 1850, and was sixty-four years, three months and twelve days old. At an early age he went with his parents to Millhousen, Indiana, where he grew to manhood. When a young man he went to Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, where for a few years he clerked in a drygoods store. This was the beginning of his mercantile career which closed with him at the head of the large department store which he has helped to make one of the best of its kind. Later he went to Loretto, Tennessee, where he was united in marriage to Miss Kate Sandschulte. They lived there ten years and then came to Rock Valley which has been their home since.
This union was blessed with five children, two of whom died in infancy. Those living are Mrs. C.C. Kemper of Madison, Wis., Mrs. J.V. Hogan. of Grand Forks, N.D., and Mrs. J.H. Kearns of Rock Valley, all of whom were at the bedside of their father during his last sickness.
When Mr. Foppe first came to Rock Valley he started a store and continued in that business for over thirty-two years. The town was then in its infancy being scarcely known beyond the borders of the county. As the town grew Mr. Foppe's business and influence grew with it.
He was a man who was highly respected by all who knew him. He was of a generous and cheerful disposition and always ready to lend a helping hand to any movement for the betterment of his fellow men. Although he is gone from among us he will long be remembered and his influence will be felt for many years to come.
Funeral services conducted by Rev. Father O'Reilly were held from St. Mary's Catholic church in Rock Valley of which the deceased was a faithful member. The services were largely attended and many beautiful floral tributes were in evidence as tokens of respect and love to the departed. During the services all the business places in Rock Valley were closed. The bereaved relatives have the sincere sympathy of many friends in their sorrow.
Rock Valley Bee - Jan 1, 1915
