Dr. Charles Herman Kulpaca

Charles Herman Kulpaca was born in Deadwood, SD on April 14, 1926 to Herman and Mamie Kulpaca of Lead, SD. He was very proud of his Finnish heritage and spent most of his youth in Lead, SD along with his older sister Joyce. He loved the Black Hills and regaled his family with many stories about his adventures hiking in the Hills. He enjoyed photography, woodworking and shooting. The depression years were lean years for everyone but somehow his father and mother were able make sure they were provided for. His father had a grocery business—Kulpaca's-- in Lead and bartered food for other services. Their dream home in Lead was constructed from bartered labor and materials. Charles had a newspaper route in Lead and later worked on his grandmother's farm in Newell and attended a one room school when work was difficult to find in Lead. He told a story of how the local kids would hide behind the barn and smoke horse manure because you weren't a man unless you were able to do that. During one summer he traveled out to Seattle to work in the shipyards to support the war effort.

He was the Lead High School student body president his senior year and made many, many lifelong friends in Lead and elsewhere. After he graduated in 1944, he joined the Army, like most of the young men of his generation—The Greatest Generation. He traveled to Europe on a troop transport and when they landed in France on May 8, 1945 (VE Day) the war ended. He always said the war ended because the enemy knew Kulpaca was there! His shooting skills translated to a position of sniper in the US Army but he never had to demonstrate that because the war in Europe ended. His group was returned to the US for a month-long furlough and they were due to be shipped out to Japan when Truman dropped the bombs on Japan and the war ended on August 14, 1945 (VJ Day). The estimate was that there would have probably been over a million casualties. Fortunately, we didn't have to find that out.

Charles attended Spearfish Normal (now Black Hills State) on the GI Bill and then transferred to Northern Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago, IL where he received his Doctor of Optometry. He opened his optometric practice in Rapid City after graduation and was a local optometrist for over 40 years.

He met his future wife, Albina at a local dance and was introduced to Charles by her brother. Albina and Charles both shared a passion for dancing. She later got her eyes examined by Charles in his office and the rest is history. They were married for almost 64 years and would have celebrated their anniversary on July 10. Charles and Albina had 6 children: Karen, Susan, Nancy, Bruce, Brian and Mary Ann. Charles instilled in his children the value of an education and a strong work ethic and each one went on to receive degrees and advanced degrees in science, engineering, law, finance and healthcare. He always had a sense of fun and often would tell the children, you have 5 minutes to pack and then an adventure to a surprise location would ensue—Denver, camping trips in the Black Hills and Colorado were favorites. He designed their family home located on a hill in Rapid City and resided there for over 50 years. Charles and Albina made a point of going out dining and dancing every weekend before "date nights" became fashionable and is a testament to their long and happy marriage.

Charles passed away in the early morning hours of July 4, after witnessing the thunder and lightning show the previous evening and remarked how stunning it was. His wife, Albina had passed two weeks previously. She always said, don't leave me Charles and he never did. He passed away at age 92 in his own bed, in his own home in the Black Hills that he loved.

Charles is survived by his 6 children: Karen (Greg), Susan (Jon), Nancy (Tom), Bruce (Peg), Brian (Denise) and Mary Ann (Shane), 13 grandchildren: Gregory, Justin, Joshua, Jon-Erik, Nikolas, Ryan, Bryce, Alaina, Ian, Gretchen, Paige, Dayne and Bailey and 1 great grandchild Jameson. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Albina, his parents and sister.

Visitation will be from 5:00 -7:00 p.m. on Friday, July 13, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home followed by a Christian Wake Service at 7 p.m. Funeral Mass will be offered at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral on Saturday, July 14.

Burial with Military Honors at Black Hills National Cemetery on Monday, July 16 at 9 a.m.

Memorial donations may be offered to Fisher House or Homes for Heroes.