Service Details

Services will be held at gravesite at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville, Missouri on December 4th, 2020 at 10:00am.

Funeral Company

Heartland Cremation and Burial Service

The Story

Kathleen Ann Kuppinger, (68) joined our Savior Jesus Christ and her husband Hershel K. Kuppinger on November 12th, 2020. The daughter of Severt Demetrius Duffield and Betty Lou (Strike) Duffield, she is survived by her son, Richard K. & Ashli Kuppinger, her son, Armando (Ray) Kuppinger Velasquez & Isaura Ramirez, her step-son Phillip K. & Stephanie Kuppinger, and step-daughter Berniece Kuppinger.

Kathleen was born in Portland, Oregon and spent her childhood in Sherwood, Oregon. She was never afraid of taking on a new challenge, and spent her time as a beautician, a substitute teacher, and a volunteer. After her husband retired from an Army career, she studied and graduated from Drury University and worked with local schools. She had a love for crafts, sewing, painting, animals, and spending time with her grandchildren who meant the world to her.
Always optimistic, and never shy of making a new friend, she faced adversity with a positive outlook and always put her care in God’s hand.

Kathy was one of nine children ( Brothers: George, John, Edward, Donald, Robert, her twin brother David Allen; and Sisters: Cheryl Robertson and Carol Galloway).
Growing up outside of Portland, Oregon, she graduated from Sherwood High School. She then attended beauty school and became a licensed beautician before marrying her first husband, Armando Velasquez of Wheeler, Texas. In 1977, she had a son, Armando Ray Velasquez, and she traveled from Oregon to Texas helping to support her family.

After a brief marriage, she and Armando Ray returned to Sherwood, Oregon where she met her late husband Hershel 'Ken' Kuppinger of Lakeport, California. They married on July 22, 1981 in Sherwood, Oregon, and in 1982 she had a son, Richard Kenneth Kuppinger. A military man, Ken took Kathy and the family to many different bases over the next 11 years. They traveled between Oregon, Washington, Germany, and Missouri. Kathy was a step-mother to Ken's children, Phillip and Berniece Kuppinger of Georgetown, California.

Kathy spent time near Fort Lewis, Washington raising Armando Ray and Richard while spending summers with Berniece and Phillip. She then moved to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in 1984. The family took a few trips via car from the Pacific Northwest, to Northern California, to the Ozarks. These trips allowed the family to see many parts of America. In Missouri, Kathy raised the children while her husband served as an Army Drill Sergeant. In 1986, she moved to Wildflecken, West Germany during the 'Cold War'. She lived less than a mile from East German border guards and look out towers; mid-night sirens and training exercises became normal life living in the 'Fulda Gap'. While stationed in Germany, she worked as a teaching assistant at the local elementary school on base, and the family traveled throughout Bavaria.

In 1989 she moved back to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri--along the way, she spent a few months in Sherwood while Ken attended military school. These few months between military moves allowed the family to re-connect to the Pacific Northwest.

As her husband's military career ended, she retired to Crocker, Missouri where she bought a home and finished raised Richard and Armando Ray. She volunteered at her local Presbyterian Church, and substitute taught at the local school. She helped her neighbors and kept busy with crafting, baking, art, and activities at her church. During her time in Crocker, Missouri she studied at Drury University at Fort Leonard Wood's education center where she earned a Bachelors Degree in Art Education.

After her children graduated and moved away, Kathy and Ken moved to Arkansas for a brief time before settling in the greater Kansas City, Missouri area. Kansas City, Missouri allowed her to be close to her son Richard who had married and had four children. She loved spending time with her grandchildren, Myia, Tien, Zayden, and Alexi Kuppinger. Moving to Blue Springs, Missouri, she and Ken were able to spend a lot of time with Richard and his family in their twilight years.

Her oldest son Armando Ray joined the Army in 1999 and lived between Virginia, Germany, and Kansas. During his time in the Army, she made trips to Virginia, Europe, Puerto Rico and Washington D.C. Armando married Isaura RamirezFabian, and they had a daughter Alana Velasquez. During his time stationed in Kansas, she spent time with her granddaughter Alana as a newborn. She traveled to her granddaughter's birthday when she was able, and celebrated Alana in Virginia and Puerto Rico.

Her husband of 35 years past away in August, 2016. After he passed, Kathy spent her time with her grandchildren, and attended a local Christian church. Kathy moved to Nevada, Missouri in 2019. She loved baking and crafting with her grandchildren, enjoyed taking a spur of the moment trip with her family, and visiting her friends and family no matter where they were.

Kathy was never afraid of a little adventure, never shy about making a new friend or starting a conversation, and loved her family a great deal. She rests peacefully in Gods Kingdom. She is loved...and will be missed.