Luella Pearl Koplan

Luella P. Koplan, 94 of Devils Lake formerly of Munich and Carrington, ND passed away on Wednesday morning, December 9, 2015 at the Good Samaritan Center, Devils Lake. Luella Pearl Janzen was born to Henry I. Janzen and Justina Harder-Penner Janzen on a farm, 3.5 miles south of Munich, ND on a stormy Easter, March 27, 1921, joined by a twin sister, Alvina. She attended Munich Public School and graduated from Munich High School with the class of 1939. After graduation she attended Valley City State Teachers College and received her life time teaching certificate in 1941 and returned to the Munich School to teach English for nine years. Along with her teaching, she also taught piano lessons and was the leader of the Munich High School Girl’s Glee Club. Luella was united in marriage to Walter D. Koplan on June 24, 1952 but her husband was unexpectedly stricken with a cerebral hemorrhage and passed away very suddenly on November 5, 1953 after only 1 year, 4 months, 1 week and 4 days of marriage. Luella continued teaching for another six years and then went to work in the Superintendent’s Office in Fergus Falls, Minnesota for three years. She also worked in the Assistant County Superintendent’s Office in Burleigh County, Bismarck for three years and in Dallas, Oregon for four years. Luella moved to Carrington when her mother had a stroke, and cared for her for fifteen years there and then moved to Devils Lake with her twin sister in 1990. Luella suffered a stroke in 2000, and her loving twin sister, Alvina died unexpectedly of a heart attack January 23, 2003. Her older step sister Kathryn died of a heart attack that year. Luella and Alvina spread God’s message in music throughout Devils Lake, singing and playing at the Senior Citizen Center, Skyview, Heartland Care Center and Odd Fellows just to name a few. Luella’s faith sustained her, her legacy was to always care and be of service to others and she faithfully read her Bible each day. Luella is survived by several cousins and two step nephews Jerry Bittner and Jim Bittner. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Walter and sisters Alvina Janzen and Catherine Penner-Bittner. Funeral Services for Luella will be held on Monday, December 14, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the Bethel Evangelical Free Church, Devils Lake with Reverend Bruce Dick officiating. Luella will be laid to rest in Devils Lake next to her beloved Walter. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Sunday from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and on Monday from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. and will continue at the church one hour prior to the funeral service.