Stephen A. Koupal, 88, of Wagner

Funeral Mass will be 2:30 PM, Friday, May 2, 2014 at the Assumption Catholic Church in Dante. Burial is in St Mary's Catholic Cemetery, rural Dante. Visitation will be from 3 to 5 PM Thursday at the Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home in Wagner, followed by a 7 PM Rosary/Wake Service at the church in Dante.

Stephen Adolph Koupal, son of Mike and Rose (Schuch) Koupal was born August 3, 1925 on the farm south of Dante, SD. He died peacefully at the Good Samaritan Society in Wagner, surrounded by his family on Tuesday, April 29, 2014.

Steve attended school in Dante. He helped his family on the farm until enlisting in the Army. Steve served in the US Army as a military policeman during WW II in Japan. Steve was united in marriage to Helen Bambas at St. Leo's Catholic Church in Tyndall on April 26, 1949. Together they farmed south of Dante until retiring in 2005. They stayed on the farm until Steve entered the Good Samaritan Society in 2007. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary this year. Four children were blessed to their union.

Steve was a member of the Assumption Catholic Church, VFW, Rouse School Board and the Dante Lake Club. Steve will be remembered for his love for his grandchildren, goose hunting, playing cards, bowling, polka dancing, playing ball, Twins baseball, farming and his Hereford cattle.

Thankful for having shared his life are his wife Helen of Wagner; four children: Diane (Dennis) Tolsma of Wessington Springs; Dwayne (Rosie) Koupal of Dante; Terry (Vicki) Koupal of Wagner; and Suzanne Tessier of Yankton; nine grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; a sister, Maxine Lovelace of OH; and half-brother, Mike (Sharon) Koupal of Yankton.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents, step mother Josephine; son-in-law Todd Tessier; five brothers: Charlie; Ralph; Tony; Leonard and Joe Koupal; and a sister, Katherine Slaba.