Kroupa brothers seek out roots
Jerry and Rowena Plett received unexpected visitors Saturday when two sons, Arnie and Randy, and several grandchildren of the late Joseph and Josephine Kroupa showed up at the Plett farm northwest of Lincolnville.
Arnie and Randy Kroupa grew up there. The house was built in 1951. (The original homestead, where Arnie first lived, was one-half mile south. Arnie said it was purchased from a Hartke settler by their grandfather, Louis Kroupa.)
Arnie and Randy were accompanied by Randy's fiancée, Kathy Wells of Austin, Texas, Arnie's two sons, Kale and Cory of Wichita, Amy Valenta, their sister Kathy's daughter, of Denver, and Cameron Kroupa of Curlew, Wash., son of a deceased brother, Gene.
They and other members of the family were attending a reunion at Marion Reservoir.
They were invited into the house. It was interesting to hear them reminisce about old times.
"I kept my papers right in that drawer," Arnie said, "and Santa Claus always came in through that door."
"I slept here," said Randy, pointing to a spot on the second floor.
"Everything seems smaller than I remember it," Arnie added.
They were led to the large backyard, where the two brothers reminisced about the garden, windmill (tower still standing), outhouse, and chicken coop. They marveled at the tall trees. They also took pictures.
When they left, they planned to drive out to Centre High School to reminisce some more.
Later that evening, several uncles, aunts, and cousins from this area joined them for a hamburger feed at Cottonwood Point.
There were seven children in the Joe Kroupa family, six boys and one girl. The six surviving children attended the reunion. In addition to those already mentioned were Alvin Kroupa and wife Barbara of Marion and family, Dan Kroupa of Parker, Colo., Arnie's wife Marilyn, Kathy (Kroupa) Valenta and family of Monument, Colo., and Toby Kroupa and wife Sonya and family of Sugarland, Texas.
