Larry J. Hoppel, 80, of Norfolk, formerly of Lincoln, died Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, at Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk.
A Christian Graveside Service will be at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Norfolk on Friday, Oct. 17 at 11 a.m., with visitation prior to services.
Memorials may be directed to the Hoppel Family for later designation.
Arrangements are with Hasemann Funeral Home of Wayne.
Larry James Hoppel was born Sept. 30, 1945 in Alliance to Kenneth William and Berniece Ruth (Corkins) Hoppel, joining his brother Lon and sister Linda as a set of triplets.
The family, including older brother Ron, resided in Fremont, and Norfolk where he graduated from Norfolk Senior High in 1963. Larry attended Norfolk Junior College later graduating from Doane University in Crete. He completed graduate work at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and did post graduate studies at universities in Colorado and Oklahoma.
Larry and Susan met while attending Doane University and married in 1969. They lived their entire 54 year marriage in Lincoln. Larry was an educator in the field of mathematics, accounting, and computer science almost his entire career. He was employed in public schools in Weeping Water, Geneva, and Lincoln as well as Nebraska Wesleyan, Southeast Community College, and Omaha Metro Community College. He was also a CPA with Miller and Moore Accountants.
Larry loved sports participating as a four year letterman in football, basketball, and track. He played Junior Legion baseball, community softball, and competed as a swimmer. He continued several of these activities long into adulthood. He and brother Lon were very close and did many things together. They were known to family and friends as fierce, but fair, competitors.
As a dedicated teacher he will be remembered especially for his contribution to non-traditional students many of whom learned to like math through his teaching. Later in his adulthood he and Lon continued the family tradition of carpentry as both enjoyed working with their hands.
Larry is survived by his brother Ron of Long Beach, California; sister Linda Teach of Wayne; sisters-in-law Katherine Hoppel of Waverly and Nancy (George) Christatos of Lincoln; and brothers-in-law Dr. Eric (Peg) Pierson and Steve Rathje of Lincoln; nieces; nephews and cousins.
Family members preceding Larry in death were his parents; wife Susan in 2023; brother Lon; parents-in-law, Dr. Edwin Kenneth and Margaret (Downing) Pierson; sisters-in-law, Karen Rathje and Kathleen Hoppel; brother-in-law, Frank Teach; aunts, uncles, and cousins.
