Kevin Oppriecht

Kevin Oppriecht, 54, of Gays Mills died Sunday, August 18, 2013 Kevin James Oppriecht, 54, of Gays Mills, WI, was welcomed into heaven on Sunday, August 18, 2013, while surrounded by his family in his home. He was born in Albert Lee, MN, on July 27th, 1959, to Karl and Lila. He was the proud, big brother to Joel, Todd, and Merry. Kevin attended North Crawford Schools and UW-Platteville. He married his high school sweetheart, Laurie, on May 24, 1980, and were married for thirty-three years. Together they have four children, Bethany, Amy, Kraig, and Kirsten. Kevin taught and lead by example; he reminded those around him what it meant to work hard and treat others with compassion and respect. Through his career at Sunrise Orchards, he was a prime example of leadership and devotion. Kevin's passion for the outdoors was shared with this wife, children and family. He loved fishing for muskies, hunting, and carrying on the Oppriecht family tradition of spending time at Big Sissabagama Lake in Northern WI. Kevin put others before himself in all levels of his life. His humbleness and caring heart were most evident through his commitment to the community by serving on the Gays Mills Fire Department. He was honored to serve as fire chief for over twenty-five years and earned the respect of others quickly. Kevin's actions spoke much louder than his words. He always made his family feel truly loved and cared for. One of his greatest attributes was his bravery and quiet strength which became even more evident as he faced many relentless challenges as he battled his diagnosis of multiple myeloma. Despite what Kevin was facing or how he was feeling, he pushed through with strong faith, a positive attitude, and a smile. His family feels honored that he will be remembered as a hero by many. Kevin is survived by his loving wife, Laurie (Teach) Oppriecht; four children, Bethany (Brent) Seiser of Gays Mills, Amy (Bradley) Schaack of St. Joseph, Kraig Oppriecht of Gays Mills, and Kirsten Oppriecht of Gays Mills; and three grandchildren, Reese, Kendal, and Selah. He is also survived by his parents, Karl and Lila (Reed) Oppriecht of New Lisbon; three younger siblings, Joel (Tammy) Oppriecht of Sparta, Todd (Paulette) Oppriecht of Genoa, and Merry (Paul) Seng of Poynette, along with many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Amel and Ruth Oppriecht and Iver and Millie Reed. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 20, 2013, at Luther Memorial Church in Gays Mills from 4:00 8:00 PM. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, August 21, 2013, at 11:00 AM at Our Saviors Church in Soldiers Grove. Local communities will honor Kevin with a fire truck processional to the Gays Mills Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Oppriecht family. The Vosseteig Funeral Home of Gays Mills assisted the family with arrangements.