Obituary of Jo Ann Dierking

Jo Ann (Koupal) Dierking departed from the earth on September 13th, 2010. She died at the age of 61. She was born to Edward and Kathryn Koupal in Wagner, South Dakota on April 2nd, 1949, and was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Faith at an early age. Jo Ann attended country school in South Dakota and moved to Spirit Lake for the last few years of high school, graduating in 1967. After many years of hard work and raising her children she went back to school and received her AA in 2001. She was currently working on her BA in organizational leadership and planning to graduate in 2011. Jo Ann married Robert Dierking on August 15, 1970. They had four children, David, Kenneth, Christine and Kathleen. She worked on the farm while supplementing the family's income with a job at Shoppers Supply for eighteen years. She also worked at Stylecraft Furniture, Cutty's Resort Club of Okoboji, Berkley's and Wal-Mart over a period of years, always having at least two jobs. After a divorce in 1993, she started a new job at Polaris Industries in 1994 where she was employed for the past fifteen years. Jo Ann was an active member in her community and Immanuel Lutheran Church for many years. She was a 4H leader for twelve years, served on the little league board, extension council, and served as a labor representative on the Iowa Work Force Board. She spent time working concession stands always helping out for the kids' sake. She spent time going on bus trips with the music and dance departments from Spirit Lake High School, enjoyed wrestling, football games, baseball and watching her kids perform in various activities. Her dream was to cook on a cattle ranch in Montana. One of her last wishes would have been to see a herd of wild mustangs running free. She loved the spirit people had in creating new career opportunities. Jo Ann is survived by her son, David Dierking and his wife, Kristi and their children, T.J., Tanner, Tate, Taren and Tucker of Indianola, Iowa, son, Kenneth Dierking and his wife, Cyndi and their children, Keaton and Sophie of Boone, Iowa, daughter, Christine Bergum and her husband, Pete and their children, Brayden and Brooklyn of Ames, Iowa, daughter, Kathleen Dierking of Leon, Iowa; mother, Kathryn Koupal of Spirit Lake; sister, Deb Zahren of Lake Park; brother, Tom Koupal and his wife, Diane, of Adrian, MI; brother-in-law, Bryan Engel of Spirit Lake; many nephews and nieces and their families. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Thomas and Stella Koupal and John and Anna Koppen; father, Edward Koupal; sisters, Connie Kelly and Betty Engel; niece, Anna Marie Kelly; brother-in-law, Gilbert Zahren