John H. Krupa Jr. passed away in the early morning hours on January 1, 2019. His life will be celebrated during a Funeral Mass, which is planned for 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 5th at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Cross Village. John’s family will begin receiving friends at the church at 10:00 a.m. John Jr. was born to John Sr. and Maryann (Slifka) Krupa on November 2, 1934 in Cross Village, Michigan.
He was born on the farm where he lived most of his life. John went to the Catholic school in Cross Village and then later to Harbor Springs High School where he graduated in 1953. He was a life-long member of Holy Cross Catholic Church and served the Lord by volunteering at the church and annual pow-wow.
John was in the United States Army (1957 to 1959) and was stationed in Germany. He spoke about many memories of the service, but one that sticks out is going to the World’s Fair when in Germany. After the service he came back to Cross Village where he met Maryann Pikur.
John and Maryann were married on July 22, 1961. They made their home on John’s family farm on Division Road in Cross Village. It is there that they raised their five children.
John worked for Emmet County Road Commission for 40 years; starting in 1955 and retiring in 1997. If you live in Emmet County chances are, he built, grated, plowed, or paved the road you live on. In the fall he helped harvest potatoes at the Overholt farm in Levering.
He was a janitor for the one room school in Cross Village until it closed. Being outdoors, taking care of the horses that he boarded on his farm, or cutting wood were favorite past times for him. John had a caring heart and was soft spoken.
He loved his family and his friends. His door was always open, loved sitting and talking to people about what times used to be like and how they have changed. His walls were covered with pictures of family and friends.
In his later years, John said many times there was nothing better than having his children and grandchildren live all around him in Cross Village. Until about two years ago he still drove the Farmall H during hay season. He is survived by four of his five children, Martin (Sarah) Krupa of Cross Village, John Krupa of California, Lisa Krupa of Louisiana, and Jamie Krupa of Cross Village; John leaves behind his grandchildren, Robert (Alicia) Potter, Christopher Krupa, Brittany Krupa, Nichole Krupa, Lindsey (Josh) Lounsbury, Benjamin Krupa, and Scott Krupa; great-grandchildren, Connor Rey, Owen Potter, Kaydin Potter, Fern McCormack, Olive McCormack, and Madison Lounsbury; and his only living sibling, Delores Tabor of Lansing, MI.
John is preceded in death by his wife Maryann who passed away in December of 2004, son Chris Krupa who passed in June of 2018; sisters Jean Dashner, Anna Borowski, Rose Cetus, Katherine Pruss, Bertha Martinchek and Wanda Martinchek; and brothers, Ted and Stanley Krupa. If anyone would like to make a donation in John’s name, the family suggests giving to the Meals on Wheels program of Emmet County Friendship Center or Holy Cross Catholic Church of Cross Village. Arrangements in care of Stone Funeral Home, Petoskey.
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