Robert Schoppert

Robert Lee Schoppert, 83, of Broomfield, Colorado, passed away peacefully surrounded by
family on April 21, 2017 in Boulder after suffering a stroke 2 days prior. Robert was born on
March 26, 1934 in South Dakota to Robert and Louise Schoppert. Robert and Joan Susan Petrik
were married in Scotland, South Dakota on August 10, 1959. She was the love of his life.
Robert taught band in Parker, SD, Centerville, SD, Custer, SD, Rapid City, SD and for many
years at O’Gorman High School in Sioux Falls, SD. He was a veteran of the Unites States Army
SP4 playing trombone in the 10th Division Army Band stationed in Wurtzburg Germany, Phi
Beta Mu National School Bandmaster Fraternity, Elks Club, Knights of Columbus, NAMM;
National Association of Music Merchandising, Piano Technicians Guild, PALS; Performing Arts
League at Anthem Ranch and was past president and current board member of Spanish Towers
Condominium HOA. Robert is survived by his wife, Joan; children, Rochelle Schoppert, Sonia
Geis, and Shanna Gulbrandson; siblings, Violet Huber Pickering, Sherwin D. Schoppert and
Sharon Hauck; and grandchildren, Brittany Geis, Gavin Geis, Garett Geis, Matthew Schoppert,
John Schoppert, Paul Schoppert, Christian Schoppert, Noah Gulbrandson, Madalyn
Gulbrandson and Gage Gulbrandson. He was preceded in death by his son, R. Scott Joseph
Schoppert, brother Donald Schoppert, sister Fern Waltner, sister Norma Mills. Bob Schoppert
first opened Bob’s Piano Sales & Service in 1962 in Sioux Falls before relocating to Boulder,
Colorado in 1987. Bob’s Piano Sales and Service remains in operation and a continued legacy
in Sioux Falls, SD, as well as Boulder, Broomfield and surrounding areas. Bob spent time as a
piano consultant at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, as well as at the Samick Piano Factory
in Inchon, Korea, the University of Iowa and many other colleges and universities. Bob was
Head Concert Piano Technician at the Aspen Music Festival for 38 years. He mentored many
young piano technicians who serviced nearly 200 pianos used by more than 100 professional
faculty members, as well as some 1,000 music students from all parts of the world each
summer. After the music festival season, Bob was in charge of selling the Steinway, Boston
and Essex Pianos. Bob was director of Piano Technology at the University of Colorado at
Boulder for 15 years. He has a B.A. from Southern State College in South Dakota and holds a
Masters Degree in Music from the University of South Dakota. He taught band, vocal music
and stage band at several high schools for over 30 years. Bob and his wife Joan have four
children and ten grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. There will be visiting hours on
Friday, May 5 starting at 6:00 PM with a prayer vigil at 7:00 at Greenwood and Myers Mortuary.
The Memorial Mass will be on May 6, 2017 at 10:00 AM at Nativity of Our Lord in Broomfield,
followed by celebration of life and luncheon at Aspen Lodge, Anthem Ranch Community in
Broomfield. Memorial contributions may be made to TRU Community Hospice, the Legacy H.S.
Band in Broomfield or O’Gorman High School Band in Sioux Falls, SD in the name of Robert L.
Schoppert.