IN MEMORIAM

EXPANDED EULOGIES

“In Memoriam” listings are expanded paid obituaries, phrased largely as the family requests, and may include enhanced information or photographs that might not fit within free death notices.

Danial Kroupa

Funeral mass for Danial E. Kroupa, 81, Lucas, who passed away after a brief illness Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, was 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church in Pilsen. Rosary prayers were 30 minutes before mass.

Dan’s life began in Hillsboro as a leap year boy on Feb. 29, 1944, He was the second oldest of seven children of Joseph and Josephine (Klenda) Kroupa.

Dan attended Centre High School and was part of the first sophomore class of the consolidated school, from which he graduated in 1961. He also attended Wichita Drafting College.

After high school, he drove a truck for Riddle Quarry for a brief period and helped build Marion Reservoir and Dam.

During high school and after high school, he and his brothers operated their family’s farm. It was his mother’s wish that Dan and two of his brothers would continue the operation.

During the Vietnam period, Dan joined the Topeka Air National Guard and then transferred and joined the Colorado Air National Guard, where he became a hydraulics specialist on many U.S. Air Force planes.

After his military service, he became an air technician and continued to work as a hydraulic specialist. For a period of time, he also worked in construction in Houston, where he remodeled medical office buildings with Toby, his younger brother.

Dan eventually relocated to the area of Aurora and Parker, Colorado, where he raised buffalos and was quite good at it. He was well known in the area as Dan, the Buffalo Man, winning a grand prize at Denver’s livestock show for one of his prized buffalos. He raised many of his herds at his Parker ranch for many years.

Even though Dan loved Colorado and enjoyed living near the mountains, he eventually “saw the light” and realized how great it was to move back to “colorful Kansas.”

He purchased property north of Wilson Lake in Russell County, overlooking the beauty of Lake Wilson. He decided not to continue his buffalo business and instead to concentrate on “important” things of life like fishing, boating on Wilson Lake, jet skiing and enjoying the great outdoors.

He spent time making and designing metal buffalo artwork and inventing many tools for his buffalo business. He was a craftsman! He designed both houses he lived in — the Colorado house and his last one near Lake Wilson.

Dan is survived by his wife, Roberta “Bobbi,” of Wilson Lake, near Lucas, and his siblings, Arnie (and wife Marilyn) Kroupa of Towanda; Kate Valenta of Monument, Colorado; Toby Kroupa of Monument; and Randy (and wife Kathey) Kroupa of Austin, Texas, along with many nieces and nephews.

Dan was preceded in death by his mother, Josephine, and father, Joseph; his daughter, Tonya Marie; his son, Justin Dean; his oldest brother, Alvin; and his younger brother, Gene.

Memorial contributions in Dan’s name may be directed to Disabled American Veterans.

Please sign his online guestbook and leave a memory of Dan at www.yazelmeglifh.com.