Josephine Heppner

Josephine Elanor Schaffer was born July 19, 1911 at Heron Lake, MN, on the family farm, to parents Julius and Stephanna (Hager) Schaffer. She grew up in the Heron Lake area was baptized in the Catholic Church. In 1930 she married Art Sutherland. The couple made their home in the Butterfield where Art worked for various farmers. The couple farmed outside of Butterfield for 42 years. She moved to St. James in 1982. She worked for Super Sound Tapes in St. James for 15 years. She joined the Presbyterian Church in Butterfield before moving their membership to the Presbyterian Church in St. James in 1963. She married John Heppner on August 2, 1986. She was a member of the Presbyterian Women where she served as President and Secretary, she was a Deacon in both the Butterfield and St. James Presbyterian Churches. She also served at countless church dinners, bazaars and rummage sales. She loved to cook and bake wedding cakes, loved to garden, crocheting, knitting and loved to care for her great nieces and nephews. Josie Heppner passed away on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at the Luther Home in Madelia. She was 95 years of age. Josie was preceded in death by her daughter, Jean Sutherland, two husbands, parents, brothers, Cornelius, Otto, Eugene, Vincent, sister, Evelyn, and nephew Melvin Schonenberg. She is survived by her brother, Buck (Marilyn) Schaffer of Hutchinson, sisters, Deloris Pigman of Windom, Mable (Louie) Anderson of Starbuck, Geraldine Magnussen of Dundee, a very special niece, Diann (Elmer) Carlson of St. James and their children, Rick (Lisa) Carlson of St. James, Cherie (Justin) Trondson of Seattle, WA, and Tiffany (Adam) Stallman of Rochester and several other nieces and nephews and their families.