Camden People - Frank B. Oppecker Jr.

FRANK BERTHOLD OPPECKER JR. was born in Camden in 1924 to Frank (Franz) Oppecker and his wife, he former Louise Wichtel. His father was musically gifted and trained on the violin, and by the 1920s he was a member of the faculty of the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music, and was giving music lessons to students on his own in Camden by 1927.

The Oppecker family owned a home at 451 Carteret Street by 1924. By January of 1928 the family included a brother, Joseph, and a sister,m Evelyn followed. Both sons would follow their father into music. Frank and Louise Oppecker would remain at 451 Carteret Street into the 1960s.

Frank B. Oppecker Jr. was a January 1944 graduate of Camden High School, where his classmates included Leonard Coplein and Riletta Twyne, who in later years would both work alongside him in the Camden public school system, Miss Twyne under her married name of Mrs. Riletta Cream. Other classmates included Rocco Macchia, killed in action in while serving with the United States Army in January of 1945, and Samuel Goudelock, who was killed in action while serving with the United States Army in Korea. Frank Italiano had a career in law and politics in Camden. Three other classmates, Douglas Holmes, Joseph Mangold, and Melvin Burt later became Camden police officers, Holmes rising to the rank of Chief of Police.

Inducted into the United States Army on December 21, 1944, Frank B. Oppecker Jr. completed his military service and returned to Camden where he taught in the Camden public school system for 31 years. He was church organist at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church and Asbury Methodist Church in Camden, and was active in many other musical ventures in the area until retiring to Athens, Georgia in 1986

Frank B. Oppecker Jr. married Janet Peterson. The marriage produced two children, Kenneth and Karen. Mr. Oppecker passed away at the age of 85 in Athens, Georgis on October 2, 2009.r

Camden Courier-Post - October 6, 2009

OPPECKER, Frank Berthold, Jr.
Age 85 of "Iris Place" in Athens died Friday, October 2, 2009. Dr. Oppecker was born in Camden, New Jersey, son of the late Franz B. Oppecker and Louise Wichtel Oppecker and was preceded in death by his daughter, Karen Oppecker Riley. He taught instrumental music for thirty-one years in the Camden Public Schools, having attended Temple University and the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music. He was a member of the New Jersey Education Association, and was a veteran of World War II. Dr. Oppecker held positions as church organist in three churches in New Jersey; St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Asbury Methodist Church (Camden), and St. Andrew's United Methodist Church (Cherry Hill) where he was a charter member. He received an award for music composition from the Radio Corporation of America (RCA); and was president of the Beethoven Club of Camden County, founded in 1909, conducting their orchestra in formal concerts. He was the founder and director of the Oppecker Music & Dance Academy of Cherry Hill where he lived for thirty-two years. Listed as a Master Craftsman in the Piano Technicians Guild, he tuned pianos and repaired violins and bows. Dr. Oppecker retired to Athens in 1986, becoming a member of Chapelwood United Methodist Church where he was a substitute organist. He was a member of the Athens Area Retired Teachers Association and the Athens Historical Society. The family will receive friends from 2:30-4:00PM Tuesday, October 6th and from 1:30-2:15PM Wednesday, October 7th at BERNSTEIN FUNERAL HOME. Graveside services will be 2:30PM Wednesday, October 7th at Evergreen Memorial Park with Richard Moeller officiating. Survivors include his wife, Janet Peterson Oppecker of Athens; one son, Kenneth John Oppecker of Athens; a brother, Joseph Oppecker of Venice, FL, and a sister, Evelyn Weeast of Rocky Mount, NC. Condolences for Dr. Oppecker may be made at www.mem.com Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.