1923
Harry
2011
Harry Blair Kroupa
November 2, 1923 — December 20, 2011
Munising
Harry Blair Kroupa, age 88, of 718 W. Onota Street, Munising, died Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at his home under the loving care of his family. He was born on November 2, 1923 in Williamsburg, Michigan, the second of seven children to the late Henry "Harry" and Isabelle (Carr) Kroupa. Blair graduated from Wm. G. Mather High School in Munising, and began his employment at the Munising Paper Mill. He worked in the lab and as a foreman, and retired in 1986 after forty-three years of service. On December 13, 1947 he married Leona L. Graves. Blair was a talented woodworker, craftsman, and mechanic who loved to work with his hands. He started young, taking apart and putting back together a car at fourteen, building a small home at sixteen years old, to building the home where he and Leona raised their four children. Blair made many things: the cabinets in his home, skis for his kids, a candelabra for his daughters wedding, a toboggan, a cradle for his grandchildren, several piano music boxes, a butcher block, and many practical household items. He used his talents at his church as well, helping to build the baptistery and parsonage at the old Baptist Church, and then working on the construction of the new church in Wetmore. If there was something that Blair did not know how to do, he would teach himself through a do-it-yourself book. He enjoyed music and teaching himself how to play different instruments, and how to tune a piano. Aside from do-it-yourself books, he enjoyed reading Zane Gray and Louis L'Amour western books. Blair and Leona spent many summers with their family camping at North, Petes, and Colwell Lake, even before the campground was built.
He is survived by his four children - Iris Kroupa of Munising, Terry (Deborah) Kroupa, Marcia (Charles) Hocking both of Burr Oak, MI, and Pam (Philip) Krehbiel of Manistique; twelve grandchildren - Brandon, Aric (Katya), Tonya (Alvey), Bruce (Lori), Benjamin (Regina), Erin (Charlie), Abigail, Moses, Adoree, Rosemarie, Bill, and Robin; twenty-five great-grandchildren; sisters - Dolores (Arthur) LeVeque and Juanita (Charles) Marble; sister-in-law - Marge Kroupa; and numerous nieces and nephews. Blair was preceded in death by his wife of sixty-four years on May 26, 2011 - Leona Kroupa; parents - Harry and Isabelle Kroupa; and brothers - Leon "Bev" (Marilyn), Darwin, John, and Zane (Mary) Kroupa.
Visitation will be on Friday, December 23, 2011 at the Bowerman Funeral Home from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Pastor Jason LaFlamme will conduct Blair's Funeral at 1:30 p.m. at the Munising Baptist Church in Wetmore. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery.
Harry Blair Kroupa, age 88, of 718 W. Onota Street, Munising, died Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at his home under the loving care of his family. He was born on November 2, 1923 in Williamsburg, Michigan, the second of seven children to the late Henry "Harry" and Isabelle (Carr) Kroupa. Blair graduated from Wm. G. Mather High School in Munising, and began his employment at the Munising Paper Mill. He worked in the lab and as a foreman, and retired in 1986 after forty-three years of service. On December 13, 1947 he married Leona L. Graves. Blair was a talented woodworker, craftsman, and mechanic who loved to work with his hands. He started young, taking apart and putting back together a car at fourteen, building a small home at sixteen years old, to building the home where he and Leona raised their four children. Blair made many things: the cabinets in his home, skis for his kids, a candelabra for his daughters wedding, a toboggan, a cradle for his grandchildren, several piano music boxes, a butcher block, and many practical household items. He used his talents at his church as well, helping to build the baptistery and parsonage at the old Baptist Church, and then working on the construction of the new church in Wetmore. If there was something that Blair did not know how to do, he would teach himself through a do-it-yourself book. He enjoyed music and teaching himself how to play different instruments, and how to tune a piano. Aside from do-it-yourself books, he enjoyed reading Zane Gray and Louis L'Amour western books. Blair and Leona spent many summers with their family camping at North, Petes, and Colwell Lake, even before the campground was built.
He is survived by his four children - Iris Kroupa of Munising, Terry (Deborah) Kroupa, Marcia (Charles) Hocking both of Burr Oak, MI, and Pam (Philip) Krehbiel of Manistique; twelve grandchildren - Brandon, Aric (Katya), Tonya (Alvey), Bruce (Lori), Benjamin (Regina), Erin (Charlie), Abigail, Moses, Adoree, Rosemarie, Bill, and Robin; twenty-five great-grandchildren; sisters - Dolores (Arthur) LeVeque and Juanita (Charles) Marble; sister-in-law - Marge Kroupa; and numerous nieces and nephews. Blair was preceded in death by his wife of sixty-four years on May 26, 2011 - Leona Kroupa; parents - Harry and Isabelle Kroupa; and brothers - Leon "Bev" (Marilyn), Darwin, John, and Zane (Mary) Kroupa.
Visitation will be on Friday, December 23, 2011 at the Bowerman Funeral Home from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Pastor Jason LaFlamme will conduct Blair's Funeral at 1:30 p.m. at the Munising Baptist Church in Wetmore. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery.
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