Alfred Kuper

I recently met two of Alfred's daughters, Marilyn and Barbara. Needless to say, there is much work to be done on the children of Anna. Alfred is the grandson on the "homepage" of this website with his grandparent's Christ and Ingeborg.

             Photo on the farm of Christ Hansen in hat with grandchildren. Alfred Kuper is behind
             him and Edna "Iverson" his sister beside him, then Clarence Kuper. Front row is Christ,
             then Loretta (Hansen) Ketterling & Lester Hansen, circa 1938-39.

Those who are too young to know, that is a "thrashing machine" behind them. Sort of the
first generation combiner. At that time usually pulled by horses and powered by steam.

Alfred & Doris Kuper taken on the Christ Hansen farm in early '70's. You can see the barn and windmill tower in the back. Of interest, that tower was not used as a well tower. It's height however enabled it to be used as a TV tower for the Hansen brothers clearer reception.

( I learned from Alice Hippens, Alfred's youngest sister that he died from lung cancer in Spearfish, South Dakota. The family went to visit the day he died, however, Bonnie , the youngest stayed home being stressed and tired. Plus she had a newborn. Sadly, that was the day Alfred died. As Alice tells it, Bonnie was so sad and feeling guilty about not being there. However, Bonnie was sitting in a rocker at the home of her parents feeding her child. The wind-up clock on the wall behind her stopped at 10:30am, unknown to her that that was the exact time of her father's passing. When the family members did come home, they told Bonnie that indeed her father stopped by and said "Good-bye" Apparently, the clock has not worked since. Per Barbara, Alfred's daughter, he was diagnosed with lung cancer the day President Reagan was shot.) )

                               Marilyn J. Mills with her husband JR (James Robert) Mills
                         in front of his office in Tulsa, Oklahoma. May, 2007

                           Doing this website has enabled me to met with many cousins I had never
                           expected to know. This photo is of Judy Bush, my sister, Marilyn Mills
                           and myself, John Eschenbaum. We are second cousins. Marilyn
                           and our father, Melvin Eschenbaum are first cousins, once removed. Melvin
                           and Alfred are first cousins. "confused?"

12 May, 2010

Bonny Kay (Kuper) Holle, age 53, surrounded by her loving family, went to be with her heavenly father on Friday, May 7, at Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA.

Bonny Kay was born December 19, 1956 in Deadwood, SD the daughter of Alfred John and Doris M. (Crowle) Kuper. She grew up in Deadwood where she attended school. She then attended Lead High School, Lead, SD.

On September 1, 1974 she married Terrance H. Holle in Manhattan Beach, MN. They lived for a time in Oklahoma and South Dakota before moving to Chambersburg, PA where she worked at Citi Bank for 12 years. She was recently awarded the “Service of Excellence” award at Citi Bank.

Bonny was a supportive and faithful wife, and an outstanding mother and her smile would light up the room. She was the first to help anyone in need. She was a kind, loving person and most of all enjoyed spending time with her family, hiking, bowling, cooking and was an amazing baker.

Bonny is survived by her husband, Terry Holle, daughter, Ginger Holle and fiancé

Thomas Hackenberg III, son, Wesley Holle and fiancé Allison Becvar all of Chambersburg; her siblings, Marilynn (J.R.) Mills, Broken Arrow, OK, Barb (Terry) Hansen, Deadwood, SD, Ngaire Kuper, Vinita, OK and James (Jean) Kuper, Maple Valley, WA; her grandchildren Austin and Travis Phillips, Jazlyn, Wesley, and Ronald Holle, three aunts, numerous nieces and nephews.

In keeping with Bonny’s wishes, cremation has taken place. A “Celebration of Life” Memorial Service was held at 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at Scotland Family Community Center, Scotland PA with Pastor Thomas Hackenberg II officiating. Private family inurnment will be held at a later date.

Barbara Hansen, sister of Bonny says:

This is my sister Bonny's obituary, she died after a devastating "illness", still not diagnosed. They checked for meningitis, Bacterial and viral, encephalitis, shingles meningitis, toxins, brain bleeds, stroke, rabies and many others with no answers !! It was really hard to let her go but it needed to be over.