William D. Kupka

William D. Kupka, 89, of Mason City, died Sunday, November 24, 2013, at Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa. A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 A.M., on Saturday, November 30, 2013, at Epiphany Parish St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 302 5th Street S.E., with Rev. Neil Manternach officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the church service. Interment will be held in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to Friends of Pool 9, in care of Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Mason City, IA 50401 or by visiting www.friendsofpool9.org. (Friends of Pool 9 is a community based, non-profit organization whose mission is to conserve the natural and cultural resources within Pool 9 of the Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.) William DuPre Kupka was born in Coon Rapids, Iowa on March 3, 1924, to William J. and Rose (DuPre) Kupka. He graduated from Coon Rapids High School in 1941. Due to asthma, he was unable to serve in World War II, so he left College and worked in the bomber plant in Omaha. When the war ended, friends at the bomber plant insisted he return to college. He returned to Iowa State and graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1949. Upon graduation, he went to work for what was then the Iowa Highway Commission (now the D.O.T.), first in Waterloo, then in Des Moines during construction of the Interstate system, and later, in 1971, he moved to Mason City as the District Secondary Roads Engineer. He retired from that position 1986. Bill married Beulah Sharp in October of 1952. They were married for 53 years. He stated many times that one of the reasons he lived a long and healthy life was the fact that he had been blessed to have had a very happy marriage. Bill and Beulah had one daughter, Patty (Kevin) Cole, now living in Bloomington, MN, and three grandsons, Brian, Michael and Daniel. Bill was proud of being the first of three generations of Iowa State Cyclones. He enjoyed spending time at his second home on the Mississippi River in Lansing, Iowa which he and Bea purchased in 1971. Bill was a proud member for over forty years at St. Joseph’s Parish in Mason City. He was also proud and very much enjoyed being a part of the Mason City Evening Lion’s Club. He had several groups of very good friends in his later years: D.O.T. retirees coffee group and long-time friend and neighbor Marguerite Erickson who provided rides to church most Sundays over the past ten years. Her kindness and friendship will never be forgotten. Bill was preceded in death by his wife: Beulah in 2005; and two sisters: Mary Ann Shaw and Jean Connar.

Cemetery:
Interment will be held in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to Friends of Pool 9, in care of Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Mason City, IA 50401 or by visiting www.friendsofpool9.org. (Friends of Pool 9 is a community based, non-profit organization whose mission is to conserve the natural and cultural resources within Pool 9 of the Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.)

Visitation:
Visitation will be held one hour prior to the church service.

Service:
A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 A.M., on Saturday, November 30, 2013, at Epiphany Parish St. Joseph’s Catholic Church