William "Bill" Lupkes

William Bill Lupkes, age 86 of Rock Rapids, IA died Saturday, September 04, 2010 at Sanford Hospital of Rock Rapids. Funeral service will be 10:30 AM, Wednesday, Sept. 8th at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rock Rapids, IA, with Rev. Dan Kordahl officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in Rock Rapids. Visitation will be Tuesday, Sept. 7th from 2:00 to 8:00 PM, with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids. William Edward Lupkes was born February 11, 1924 in Pilsum, Germany, the son of John and Minnie (Freerksen) Lupkes. At eight months of age his family came to America. They lived at Ellsworth, MN for two years before moving to farm near Flandreau, SD. At the age of nine they moved to Dell Rapids, SD, then later moved to a farm near Rock Rapids, IA, where he attended country school and graduated from Wilson High School in 1942. After his education he continued to farm with his parents. On April 24, 1959 Bill was united in marriage to LaVonne Lens and the couple moved to their present farm, where Bill farmed his entire working life. To this union four children were born, James, Stanley, Thomas and Tracy. Bill served on various boards in the area, such as Farmers Elevator, Immanuel Lutheran Church Council, and the Rock Rapids Parks Board. He also served as secretary for the Associated Milk Producers, INC. for 20 years, volunteered on the Mid Sioux Board for 10 years and was the Riverside Township Clerk for many years. Bills family will remember him as a strong, kind man who loved his family, special friends and close neighbors. He enjoyed bird watching, reading books, watching his grandsons play football along with their other sporting events and enjoyed the life of a farmer. Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 51 years, LaVonne Lupkes of Rock Rapids, IA; Son, Jim (wife, Sandi) Lupkes of Rock Rapids, IA, their four children, Brad (wife, Shawna) Lupkes and their child, William of Rock Rapids, IA, Nick (wife, Monique) Lupkes and their child, Beau of Sioux Falls, SD, Kyra (husband, Luke) Slade and their child, Lily of Rock Rapids, IA and Mitch Lupkes of Sioux Falls, SD; Son, Stan (wife, Lisa) Lupkes and their three children, Matt, Jason, and Kayla Lupkes, all of Jefferson, SD; Son, Tom (wife, Denise) Lupkes of Rock Rapids, IA; Daughter, Tracy Dirks and her two children, Ashley and Austin of Ellsworth, MN; Sister, Eleanor Bouwman of Akron, IA; Brother, Hans (wife, Lucia) Lupkes of Deer Park, TX; three sisters-in-law, Ruth Lupkes of Rock Rapids, IA, Alice (husband, Gerry) Moeller of Rock Rapids, IA and Jane (husband, Marvin) Albers of Rock Rapids, IA; five brothers-in-law, Ed (wife, Pat) Lens of Beaver Creek, MN, Jim (wife, Colleen) Lens of Burlington, IA, John Lens of Seaside, CA, Wayne Lens and David Lens, both of Grand Junction, CO; and a multitude of nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, John, Mike and infant Boyd Lupkes; and two sisters, Grace Reck-Wildeman and Sophia Fastert.