Barbara Koepping
Obituary
Barbara Mary (Schoenberg) Koepping April 21, 1929 – November 26, 2019 Barbara Mary (Schoenberg) Koepping was born in Colville, WA and was raised in Chewelah, WA by a long line of farmers, miners, bootleggers and Jesuits. After graduating as salutatorian from Jenkins High School, she became the first of her family to attend college earning a teaching degree with honors from Eastern Washington University. At college she met and married a “feinschmecker” – Frank G. Koepping and the two of them taught in the Highline School District for over 30 years. They built their home with their own hands and they raised 4 children along the way creating in them and hundreds of their students a lifelong love of learning. She dedicated herself to religious education as well teaching catechism for 27 years for St. Philomena Parish and served as the first woman on the parish council. Barbara also instilled in her children (and many of her students) a profound love and respect for conservation and the natural world – although she never gave up the location of her secret huckleberry patch! She was known as a master gardener who could coax nearly anything to grow and prosper, and later in life the natural world featured prominently in her travels and artistic expression as a watercolorist. Preceded in death by her husband Frank in 2017, she is survived by her 4 children: Gloria Koepping of Issaquah, Jerry (Sharen) Koepping of North Bend, Marge Koepping of Springdale, and Frank (Terri) Koepping of Maple Valley along with 5 grandchildren: Juliana, Chloe, Bethany, Rochelle, and Karinne, nephew Frank, grandnieces Carney and Ava, grandnephews David, Connor, and Christian and a multitude of cousins of the Schoenberg/Delles lineage. Services will be held on Thursday December 5 at 10:30 am at St. Philomena Parish, Des Moines, WA. Remembrances are suggested to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, The National Audubon Society, or The Nature Conservancy.
I had Mrs. Koepping as a teacher at Sunny Terrace Elementary School for fifth Grade (1971), She was a Wonderful Teacher, we went to Camp Woskowitz and studied Conservation with Harry Lemon. Don
Sorry to hear that Barbara is gone! We taught at Parkside for years!
Ken Reed
Both of my children had Mrs. Koepping as a teacher at Parkside and I was her room mother both times. She was a wonderful person and teacher! Everyone loved and respected her. I am sorry to hear that she has passed!