Jane Gropel

Jane Gropel touched the lives of hundreds of young children. Not long ago, a young man stopped, looked at Jane, and said, “All through my school years when people asked who my favorite teacher was I always answered, Mrs. Gropel, my Discovery Time teacher.”

At the age of 80, this passionate teacher passed away. She died on Thursday, March 26, 2026, just one week from reaching her 81st birthday.

Jane was born in Tyler, Minnesota, on April 2, 1945, to John and Rose (Weiss) Kaczrowski of Ivanhoe, Minnesota.

Jane grew up in Ivanhoe and graduated from Ivanhoe High School in 1963. After high school graduation, Jane attended Winona State University, majoring in elementary and physical education. Later, Jane earned a degree in early childhood education from Mankato State University.

After graduating from Winona, Jane took a first-grade teaching position in Owatonna, Minnesota, working there from 1967 to 1970.

During her third year in Owatonna, on November 28, 1969, she married her high school sweetheart, Gregg Gropel, whom she met in kindergarten and started dating during the summer of 1962.

After completing the 1969-70 school year, she resigned from Owatonna. In 1970, she moved to Luverne where she taught kindergarten for the next two years.

Jane then took time away from teaching to raise her four sons: Matt, Chris, Tom, and Phil.

As her children grew and became old enough for a nanny, Jane returned to teaching.

In 1981, she began teaching children ages 3 and 4 in the basement of the Presbyterian church, a program known as Jack and Jill Preschool. Several years later, the church could no longer afford the high cost of insuring a non-religious school program, which lead to the program’s end in 1987.

After the Jack and Jill preschool closed, Jane wrote a new preschool curriculum. Using Minnesota Department of Health guidelines, she launched Discovery Time under the Community Education umbrella.

After working with precious, loving, young children for 26 years, Jane ended her teaching career in 2003 and joined her husband in retirement to enjoy those golden years.

Jane suffered from Alzheimer’s, a disease that slowly messes with the brain and, in time, affects memory, speech, logic, balance, behavior, etc. The disease slowly claimed her life.

When her life came to an end on Thursday, March 26, 2026, Jane was surrounded by her loving family.

Jane was preceded in death by her parents, John and Rose Kaczrowski; a sister-in-law, Laura Kaczrowski; a niece, Sarah Kaczrowski; and a brother-in-law, Bill Gropel.

She is lovingly survived by her husband, Gregg; four sons: Matt (Kristy) of Surprise, Arizona, Chris (Jennifer) of Cave Creek, Arizona, Tom (Jessica) of Mankato, Minnesota, and Philip (Nicolette) of Stillwater, Minnesota; siblings, Jack (Stephanie) Kaczrowski of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, Dr. Bill (Deb) Kaczrowski of Lake Miltona, Minnesota, Dr. Bob (Nancy) Kaczrowski of Norwood-Young America, Minnesota, Anne (Mike) Cota of St.Cloud, Minnesota; sister-in-law, Florence Gropel of Orono, Minnesota; sixteen grandchildren: Erin Pendola, MacKenzie (Rickey) Proehl, Katie, Megan, Ryan, Nicolas, Tyler, Morgan, Addie, Kaiden Brovold, Kallie Brovold, Cameron Brovold, Kendall Brovold, Eva, Gavin, and Grayson; and a great-grandchild, Beau.

Memorials may be sent to Luverne Dollars for Scholars, PO Box 822, Luverne, Minnesota 56156.