Alvin J Kroupa

Alvin Joseph was born on Feb 5, 1943, in Hillsboro, KS, to Josephine Kroupa. Alvin liked to say he was a ‘43 model’. He was the eldest of 7 children and had to shoulder much of the patriarchal roles and duties for his family as a young boy.

He was proud of his time working on the Ferrell ranch with Jim Ferrel during his early high school years to help support his mom and siblings. He especially remembered being proud that Mr. Ferrell trusted him to drive the 100+ miles back from Great Bend to Lincolnville at just 13 or 14 years old.

He attended school in Lincolnville until the new school opened and was then a member of the 2nd senior class to graduate from Centre High School in 1961.

After high school, he continued to farm, drive truck, and work in the oil fields. Those oil fields helped to introduce him to Barbara Base, and they were married Aug 1, 1964. Alvin passed away 2 days after their 61st anniversary.

Unlike his own father, Alvin sought out the responsibility of fatherhood. Having already helped to raise his siblings and unable to conceive their own children, Alvin and Barbara chose to adopt their daughter Kelli and son Jamie at birth. Kelli and Jamie will tell you they had the hardest-working and strongest man they knew as a father who could do or build just about anything (necessity being the mother of invention),and he chose them.

After marriage, he drove for Rittle Quarry and then helped build the Marion Reservoir Dam. He would tell stories of running a concrete truck overnight and tying the steel girders in the dam. It was dangerous work, with at least one co-worker losing his life while building. Alvin began driving truck with AMPI in 1973 and did so for 25 years until the plant closed, at one point being recognized for logging well over a million accident-free miles, which he was proud of. He primarily hauled milk but would sometimes get the ice cream run, which occasionally resulted in a tub of Baskin-Robbins making its way home to his kids! Barrel-chested, ox-strong, and with an affinity for a good truck stop buffet, he gained the CB handle/nickname ‘Big Al,’ and it stuck for life. He drove for several other outfits for another 8-10 years before getting off the road for good. The kids have great memories of going on trips in the semi with their dad to areas like Wisconsin, Illinois, and Tennessee, to name a few. Taking them was against company regulations, so he would have to ‘sneak’ them into the truck so as not to get caught, which just added to the fun!

Alvin’s kids watched him and their mom build up two farms in his lifetime, all with undersized and overworked equipment. Bartering dozer work for pipe and sucker rod, he built miles of pipe fence and corrals. He transformed the landscape on both farms with waterways and terraces, and he made many a tree row and even a railroad disappear! (IYKYK) He built all the ponds his kids remember swimming in. He built all of this while also being on the road more than full-time.

Alvin loved his Gelbvieh cattle. He called them his ‘red cows’. He took great pleasure in growing and genetically improving his herd. Typically pretty well-natured, few things could make the angry ‘bohunk’ come out in their Dad like a determined cow with her own plan!

In his later years, he enjoyed being a member of the 4th Degree of Knights of Columbus and serving in that regard. He was also proud to host the walkers for the last night of the Father Kapaun pilgrimage with the group walking from Wichita to Pilsen. He loved to sit on his south porch and wait so he could see the line of 200-300+ walkers as they cross the bridge heading north up the highway to his farm. The sight of 100+ tents on his yard and how the group always cleaned up every single piece of trash always amazed him.

Our Dad overcame his own rough childhood to provide a great one for us. Thank you for everything, Dad!

Alvin was preceded in death by his mother, Josephine, and his brother, Gene.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Barbara; his daughter, Kelli (Savage), and her husband, Randy, of Florence, and their children, Seth and Laura; and son, Jamie Kroupa, wife, Erica, and children, Abbie, Alex, and Ashton, of Shawnee, KS. and nis siblings Dan (Bobbi) Kroupa of Wilson, Arnie (Marilyn) Kroupa of Towanda, Kate Valenta of Monument, CO, Toby Kroupa of Monument, CO, and Randy ( Kat) Kroupa of Austin, TX

Memorial-Father Kaplan Legacy Fund or Good Shepherd Hospice

Visitation will be held on Thursday August 7, 2025 from 6-8 p.m. at Yazel Megli Funeral Home, Marion. A Rosary will be prayed on Friday August 8, 2025 at 10 a.m. at Holy Family Parish, St. Mark’s Catholic Church, Marion and his funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Friday. He will be laid to rest in Marion Cemetery