Nebraska Firearms Owners Association

Nebraska and the entire Trap shooting community has lost a valuable member.

Frank Hoppe died on 28 April 2013 after a struggle with cancer.  Frank will be missed by all.

Frank Henry Hoppe, legendary trapshooter, 70, of Columbus, died on April 28, 2013, at Bryan LGH East Medical Center in Lincoln after a three month fight with cancer. Frank Henry Hoppe was born in Columbus on November 20, 1942, to Fred “Fritz” and Peg (Tooley) Hoppe. Frank graduated from Schuyler High School in 1961 where he was a three-sport letterman. He held school records in track and was the leading scorer on the state championship football team. He went on to start as a freshman quarterback at the University of Northern Colorado.

On December 26, 1964, Frank was united in marriage to Carolyn Ross in Columbus. Hoppe spent four years in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. After his military service he received degrees in education and journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Juris Doctorate in Law from the University of Nebraska Law School. He was a self-employed artist, hunting guide, and trapshooting instructor.

Frank was a 28-time All-American trapshooter, winning 45 Grand American titles including the coveted World Clay Target Championship in 2002. He was on the Nebraska All-State Team over 30 times, winning over 50 state championship trophies. He won over 2,000 other trophies, including 264 state championship titles from other states. Besides many national records, he is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. Hoppe shot over 650,000 targets in his career, and at one time broke 1,000 regular targets without a miss.

Those left to cherish his memory are wife, Carolyn Hoppe of Columbus; daughter, Jessica Foster of Manhattan, Kan.; daughter, Traci Hoppe and special friend, Bob Happ, of Columbus; son, Scott Hoppe of Columbus; son, Steven Taylor of Live Oak, Fla.; sister, Diane (Don) Birkel of Columbus; sister, Mary Lou (Dick) Kunneman, of Columbus; brother, Fred (Donna) Hoppe of Columbus; sister, Betty Jo Kodad of Schuyler; three grandchildren, Joel and Xander Foster of Manhattan, Kan., Kaiden Taylor of Live Oak, Fla.; numerous nieces and nephews. Frank was preceded in death by parents, Fred & Peg Hoppe; brother-in-law, Terry Kodad; niece (god-daughter), Kari Kunneman

Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 2, at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church with Father Andrew Rosa celebrating the mass. Interment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, rural Schuyler with military honors by the American Legion Hartman Post 84 Honor Guard. Visitation will be on Wednesday, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at Gass Haney Funeral Home with a vigil service at 7 p.m. Condolences may be sent to www.gasshaney.com

Tuesday April 16, 2013

The Nebraska Firearms Owners Association – Political Action Fund (NFOA-PAF) has conducted a survey of the mayoral candidates and city council candidates in the city of Omaha for the General Election on May 14, 2013. This survey asked specific questions to determine each candidate’s views on the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and gun owner’s rights in the City of Omaha. As a result of the survey responses collected and also the candidate’s past history on these issues, the NFOA-PAF has issued endorsements for this election.

Today we announce our City Council endorsements.

District One
The NFOA-PAF proudly endorses Ed Truemper. Dr. Truemper’s experience in working with victims and families of criminal violence brings a unique viewpoint to the discussion of how to deal with the ever-rising violent crime in Omaha. That experience, coupled with his desire to serve the community and to be a voice of reason on the City Council, makes him an excellent choice for our community.

District Four
Virgil Patlan’s experience as a line level police officer provides another unique perspective on dealing with criminal violence in Omaha, one of the major issues our city must deal with. The endorsement for this race was a difficult choice, because Garry Gernandt had sponsored the ordinance recognizing the Nebraska Concealed Carry Permit in Omaha. However, when an attempt was made to fix problems in the City’s Handgun Registration, Councilman Gernandt opposed community efforts and instead supported the position of Mayor Jim Suttle to stymie these proposals. Nothing Councilman Gernandt has done leads us to believe that he would oppose any effort of the Suttle administration to further restrict the lawful exercise of your rights. We believe that Virgil Patlan will be a strong, independent voice for the protection of your rights and at the same time, tackle the tough issues that face our city.

District Five
Rich Pahls has a long voting history of supporting firearms owners in the Nebraska State Legislature and we feel that he would be able to use his experience in balancing many competing issues to help lead in moving the City of Omaha forward in many areas.

District Six
Councilman Franklin Thompson has been a voice of reason on the City Council and we support his continued efforts as a leader in our city.

District Seven
This race introduces two political newcomers to the City Council race: Aimee Melton and Tim Lonergan. While both of these candidates support your Second Amendment rights, we feel that one of these two stands out. Aimee Melton’s experience as a Douglas County Prosecutor brings a definite advantage to a City Council that must deal with an increasing violent crime rate. One of the many responsibilities Aimee had while serving as a county prosecutor was representing the county on all firearms appeals. She did this with respect for the law and for the rights of the county’s citizens. She used her professional experience and legal discretion to make sure the court denied the appeals to those who did not qualify for the purchase permits, while making sure those appeals from victims of errors in the approval system did not lose their right to purchase and own a firearm. On at least one occasion, Aimee provided supporting evidence for one of the citizens erroneously caught in the system when a judge questioned whether a permit should be granted. Aimee’s experience and ethics will make her an exceptional City Councilman.

The NFOA-PAF encourages all firearms enthusiasts to support the candidacies of Ed Truemper, Virgil Patlan, Rich Pahls, Franklin Thompson, and Aimee Melton in the General Election on May 14, 2013.

For a full listing of the survey questions, along with the candidate’s answers to the survey you can access our website at www.nfoapaf.org.

NFOA-PAF Mission
Nebraska Firearms Owners Association – Political Action Fund is a State political action committee dedicated to being a leader in preserving the right of all law-abiding Nebraskans to purchase, possess, and use firearms as guaranteed by the Nebraska State Constitution and the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The 2013 NFOA-PAF Candidate Survey, candidate responses, and additional organization information can be found at our website: www.nfoapaf.org.

Contact:
Andreas (Andy) Allen
402-321-5520
info@nfoapaf.org
President NFOA-PAF
PO Box 45604
Omaha, NE 68145-0604