The late Jo-Ann Boepple and her husband of 60 years, Richard (Dick) Boepple, are the recipients of the 2017 Dr. John Sweetland Award, presented annually by the Edwardsburg Area Historical Museum for leadership and service to the Edwardsburg area community.

Jo-Ann Boepple died on March 9 in Tampa and the award will be presented to Dick Boepple at the Edwardsburg Annual All-School Reunion. The event will be hosted at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 20, at the Edwardsburg Intermediate School Cafetorium, during which the 50-year graduating class of 1967 will be honored. An open house will follow at the museum on Main Street.

Dr. John Sweetland, for whom the Sweetland Award is named, served as a doctor in the Civil War and returned to Edwardsburg to practice medicine and publish the Edwardsburg Argus.

Jo-Ann Boepple was the founder of the Edwardsburg Area Historical Museum in 1998 and considered its founding and development one of the most difficult, yet rewarding tasks she had tackled. During the nearly 19 years that she led the museum as chairman of the board of trustees and museum director, she oversaw the renovation of the museum house on Main Street that was a donation from the descendants of Charles and Very Pabreza, as well as the construction of an addition that was funded solely through volunteer donations, material and labor.

She developed the interview program in which several local residents each year give presentations on various topics, including reflections of their own lives in the greater Edwardsburg area. Interviews are recorded and maintained in the museum library.  For many years, she also wrote the weekly column in the Edwardsburg Argus, “Reflections of the Past.”

Boepple loved to teach, and taught in Niles before joining the Edwardsburg Public Schools where she was employed for 27 years.

Because she believed in civic and professional service, she was a member of the Cass County Teachers’ Association, president of the Tri-County Reading Council, and treasurer of the Tri-County Women in Educational Administration. She was vice-president and president of the Edwardsburg Business and Professional Women, and a member of the Edwardsburg Optimist Club.

She was a member of the Girl Scouts of Singing Sands board of directors and first vice president and a member of the Edwardsburg Uptown Improvement Association. She served as secretary-treasurer and president of the Berrien-Cass Continuing Education Association. She served on the charter committee of the Edwardsburg Village Council, and was a member of its planning commission.

Dick Boepple, who married Jo-Ann in 1956, has provided a lifetime of service to his community. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1953 and served in the Korean War. He joined the Edwardsburg Volunteer Fire Department in 1958 and twice served as its fire chief.

He is a member of the Cass County Firemen’s Association for which he has served as president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer.  He is a historian for the local American Legion post and currently serves as third vice commander. He joined the Golden Age Group in 1993 and served as its president for 10 years.

Beopple has been a member of the Edwardsburg Area Historical Museum since its founding by his late wife, and continued this season in his 86th year to be active as a groundskeeper on the property.