Carol Poppenga

Carol Ruth Petit Kruger Moore Poppenga, of Lennox passed from this life on Sunday, June 21, 2026 at Ava’s house in Sioux Falls at the age of 89. Please join Carol’s family for the visitation from 5:00-7:00 pm, Wednesday, June 24 at Jarman Family Funeral Home in Lennox. The funeral service will take place the following day at 10:30 am, Thursday, June 25 at Second Reformed Church in Lennox. Carol was born in the town of Bruce, Rock County, Minnesota on December 13, 1936, the daughter of Irvin William and Christine (Bannick) Petit. She spent her childhood on a farm Southwest of Luverne, MN, where she attended Pleasant View Country School until the 6th grade, then Beaver Creek Elementary and High School. She was a cheerleader for the Beaver Creek basketball and football teams. On December 13, 1952, Carol married Harvey Lewis Kruger at the First Baptist Church in Luverne. To this union were born six children. They lived for a spell in Pickstown, SD where Harvey hauled gravel to help build the Fort Randall dam. The family later moved to Luverne and Pipestone where they were in the trucking business. On November 13, 1965, Carol lost Harvey in a trucking accident. In February of 1966, she and the children moved to a home on Blue Mound Ave in Luverne. On August 28, 1967, Carol was married to Robert Darnell Moore in Luverne. To this union were born 2 children and with the 5 children that Robert had previously, the family totaled 13 children. Carol was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church in Luverne where she held numerous positions over the years she lived there. On July 28, 1991, Carol married Wilfred Rodney Poppenga in Lennox, South Dakota and the two have shared a life together for the last 35 years, dancing, traveling and enjoying time with family. In 1996, they began wintering in Arizona, first in Mesa then Apache Junction, while still enjoying summers at home in Lennox. Family and friends will forever cherish the many creations Carol gifted them, from the storybooks she wrote for each grandchild, to her artwork and the flowers she lovingly cultivated. Besides her parents, Carol was preceded in death by her first husband Harvey Kruger and second husband Robert Moore Sr, sons Lewis Lee, John Wesley, and Paul Irvin Kruger, step-son Billy Joe Poppenga, sister Mae Lou Petit, brother Irvin Petit and his wife Patricia. She is survived by her husband, Wilfred “Willy” Poppenga of Lennox; children Dean (Deb) Kruger of Brandon, Harvey “Bill” (Donna) Kruger of Sioux Falls, Rob (Gigi Krell) Moore of Lennox, Kathryn (Charles) Kruger of Amboy, MN, and Trudy (David) Tollefson of Dunedin, FL; step-children, Cindy (Kevin) Kelley, Darnell (Ruth) Moore, Sharla (David) Steuck, Darwin (Debbie) Moore, Sandi (Tom) Newgard, and Shari (Terry) Altermatt; as well as numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; and many extended family and dear friends.

Carol Poppenga

December 13, 1936 - June 21, 2026

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