Mabel Irene (Russell) Lopeman

Mabel Irene (Russell) Lopeman, 95, of Urbana, passed away at 11:01 p.m. Wednesday, November 20, 2019, at Amber Glen Special Care Center in Urbana, Illinois.

Visitation is from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Funeral will follow at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, December 7 at the First United Methodist Church in Urbana. The funeral will be officiated by Rev. Robert Freeman.

After the funeral “Amazing Grace” will be played on the bagpipes.

A private interment will take place at Mt. Hope Cemetery on December 9th.

Renner-Wikoff Chapel of Urbana has charge of arrangements.

Mabel was born on August 22, 1924, on a farm near Graymont, Illinois, to Ethel (Moore) Russell and Alexander Cuthel Russell. Her parents, one brother, and five sisters preceded her in death. Their names were Glenn, Carrie, Bessie, Hazel, Dorothy (identical twin), and Ferne.

She is survived by her son, Scott Lopeman, and daughter, Nancy Lopeman.

Mabel graduated from Pontiac Township High School in 1942, where she met and later married Harold Eugene Lopeman on June 18, 1944, at the Methodist Church in Topeka, KS. They celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in 2019. Harold passed away on October 20, 2019.

She was a beautician at the Forestry Beauty Salon from 1950-57, and then opened her own beauty shop in her home in 1958-1990.

When their son was born with medical problems, his doctor said he needed to swim in warm water. Their lawyer asked them to build a swim club for the community that had heated water instead of a backyard pool. Windsor Swim Club opened in 1966 and was sold in 2009.

She oversaw the Club until her husband retired in 1982 from the University of Illinois.

They were long-time members of the First United Methodist Church of Urbana. They loved to travel, visiting all 50 states, all Canadian provinces, England, Scotland, and taking a Copper Canyon, Mexico train trip. They went on three cruises to the Caribbean, South America, and Alaska (50th). Their favorite destination was Hawaii. In the four trips to Hawaii, they visited all of the main islands. They attended the Big Island Classic and the Maui Invitational. They loved to go on trips with Elderhostel.

They loved to dance and had a class at the club in the off season. They had season tickets to the Fighting Illini football and basketball games. They attended volleyball games and went to many bowl and tournament games.

They were founding members of the O.U.R. Group to fight for NCAA reform. They attended two Final Fours, handing out literature. Their daughter attended four. They loaned the money to get the literature produced.

They loved music, especially Dixieland Jazz. They were friends of Dan Perrino and attended many Medicare 7,8,9 concerts. They loved to go to shows at the Assembly Hall and the Sunshine Dinner Theater.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church, Harbor Light Hospice or Hospice Hearts.

Online condolences may be left at www.renner-wikoffchapel.com.

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