Kenneth Dean Bopp

Kenneth D. Bopp, PhD

Dr. Kenneth Bopp, 83 of Columbia, MO was called home to be with his Lord and Savior on July 9, 2023.

Ken was born April 6, 1940 in Waterloo, IA to Clayton and Bernice (McMillan) Bopp.

He had many fond memories growing up on a dairy farm. Days filled with milking cows, baling hay, and planting corn with his family.

Ken started his education in a one-room school house. He graduated from Waterloo East High in 1958. He started driving relatives to school at the age of 14. When he turned 16, he began driving the school bus.

He married the love of his life, Marlene Gerdes, on June 12, 1965 at Walnut Street Baptist Church in Waterloo.

Ken went on to receive his Bachelors from Northeast Missouri State, his Masters from Washington University-St. Louis, and his PhD from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Dr. Bopp's expertise in Health Services Management spanned over five decades. Forty-one of those years were spent at the University of Missouri-Columbia investing in the next generation of leaders, researching ways to improve patient care, and working with communities to promote success for the disadvantaged, especially children.

Early in his career, Dr. Bopp worked at the state level as the director of Comprehensive Health Planning, Department of Community Affairs in Missouri. He went on to be the Executive Director of the Mid-America Comprehensive Health Planning Agency for the Kansas City Metropolitan Region, answering to a board of 62 members. He was instrumental in pushing local involvement and representation of consumers as new health care and Medicare reforms were rolled out under the Nixon administration. He stressed that private providers and government agencies must work together for the individual's good.

In 1976 Dr. Bopp left the Kansas City Metropolitan area to become the director for the Region VII Center for Health Planning, Health Services Management at the University of Missouri-Columbia. During his time as director, he received the Service Award for Leadership in Health Planning from the U.S. Public Health Service.

While at the University, Dr. Bopp wore many hats. He was a professor spending countless hours outside the classroom helping students achieve their goals in class as well as in their careers. In 1989 He received the Outstanding Professor Award for Health Services Management. He was a grant writer, funding his salary as well as others in the department. He was a researcher and strategic planner looking at reducing infant mortality rates in rural areas, child abuse prevention, and ways to improve health care outcomes for those with chronic illness and in long term care facilities.

In 1994 Dr. Bopp became director for the Health Management and infomatics Group at the University. It was during his tenure as director that he developed a program for the Missouri Children's Trust Fund. A program that brought together community and social services to improve the lives of at-risk children. It had the highest success rate in the nation for twenty years. Dr. Bopp lived by Proverbs 31:19 "Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." It gave him great joy to hear the individual stories of families moving from hopelessness and poverty to learning how to earn a living wage and provide for their families.

In 2000, Dr. Bopp received the Donald W. Francher Provost Award for Outstanding Achievement in Extension and Continuing Education from the University of Missouri.

In 2003, Dr. Bopp became a core faculty member for TIPS for Kids, an interdisciplinary leadership training program for health professionals caring for children and youth with neurodevelopmental and related disabilities and their families.

In 2017, Dr. Bopp retired at the age of 78.

Ken lived out his faith not only at work, but also as an active member of Compass Evangelical Free Church where he was a member for 47 years. He served as Elder, Deacon, Bible Study author and teacher and was on multiple committees. He served when ever there was a need, whether that be cleaning the church, shoveling snow, moving furniture, or making coffee.

He loved his family and wanted only the best for them. He loved Christmas at the farm where he would pull sleds behind the tractor and help bake and decorate cookies. He loved a good snow in Columbia where he could put on a pair of chains and make it to work when everyone else was snowed in. He loved getting on the floor to play with his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids when they were little. Always stressing how important these early years are in their development. As they grew, he would take interest in what they were interested in. He built a light table when his daughter was interested in drawing. As his son grew taller and started playing basketball, he built a sturdy basketball goal for the driveway. He created a minced meat pie for the iron chef competition with his granddaughter and when his grandson was majoring in Economics in college, he made sure he received the Wall Street Journal.

At his core, Ken believed all people have value and when you value people, you treat them with respect. His goal was to help others reach their full potential.

He is preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his wife, Marlene, of 58 years, daughter, Shelley (Matt) Hoffman of Siloam Springs, AR, son, Ken (Jane) Bopp of Columbia, MO, sisters, Sally Bopp and Nancy (Jim) Burmeister of Waterloo, brother-in-law, A.C. (Susie) Gerdes of Hurst, TX, grandson, Jonathan (Sarah) Hoffman of Conway, AR, granddaughter, Laura (Josh) Fritz of Siloam Springs, AR, and six great-grandchildren.

Graveside Service were held July 17, 2023, at Mt. Vernon Evangelical Cemetery (Mt. Vernon Township), West Mt. Vernon Rd. and Wagner Rd., Waterloo.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given to Coyote Hill Foster Care Services at coyotehill.org or Compass Evangelical Free Church.

Celebration of Life at 3:00 PM, Saturday, July 29, 2023, at Compass Evangelical Free Church, 600 Silvey St., Columbia, Missouri, with the family greeting friends for an hour before the service.