Donald Kupper

Donald B. Kupper Sr. passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, on July 9, 2025 at UofL Health - Jewish Hospital after a battle with multiple medical complications related to cancer.
Don was born February 13, 1957 to Kenneth and Dorothy Kupper. The sixth of seven children in this big Catholic family. He attended St. Helen Grade School, Bishop David High School, UK College of Pharmacy and completed his MBA from Bellarmine University.
Catholic faith was the foundation of Don's family, having belonged to St. Agnes for 30 years and now St Margaret Mary, where he obtained his 4th Degree in their Knights of Columbus Council and was set to be Grand Knight this year before God had other plans.
Having followed in his grandfather's and father's footsteps; he was very proud of being a "third generation pharmacist". After graduating from pharmacy school, he returned home to work alongside his father at the family's Fihe Kupper Pharmacy in Shively, KY.
From there he was a staff pharmacist at Audubon Hospital before taking the Director of Pharmacy position at Our Lady of Peace Hospital / Sts. Mary and Elizabeth Hospital. He particularly enjoyed the next challenge when he took the pharmacy leadership role at the University of Louisville Hospital. His very strong leadership skills lead him to having responsibility for not only all of the pharmacies, but multiple other departments. In all, he spent 15 years at the University of Louisville Hospital, lastly as Vice President Materials Management and Chief Pharmacy Officer. He was an excellent leader and mentor to many!
After all of that responsibility; he decided to go back to his original profession and "just being a pharmacist" and found that at Chewy where he worked the last five years of his career.
He was the first president of the Bishop David High School Alumni Association and served on many other boards over the years; Big Brothers Big Sisters, Seven County Services, Passport, to name a few. Most recently he was on the board at Bridgehaven.
Don was very well respected by those who knew him. His pharmacy family and profession were such an important part of his life. He was a proud member of the Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity. He is only one of two people who served as President of the Jefferson County Academy of Pharmacy, Kentucky Pharmacist Association, and Kentucky Society of Health-System Pharmacists. He was instrumental in getting the Sullivan College of Pharmacy established. He enjoyed his Pharmacy Family and attending his monthly meetings with the Veteran Drug Club.
Don was very social, to say the least. The family has great memories of the many years at Rough River Lake, and attending University of Louisville Football games. He was the life of the party with his love for music, singing and dancing creating so many memories with the Kupper and Ryan Families! He and Vicki enjoyed travel and he loved to shop, particularly for original paintings to add to his collection. His most recent favorite thing to do was go and support his grandchildren in their activities.
He is preceded in death by his parents and brother Kenneth. He is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Mary Vicki Ryan Kupper, daughters Heather Alvey (James) and Shannon Langley (Daymond Marks), sons Donald Bryan Kupper Jr. (Diana), Alex Joseph Kupper (Paige), and Dylan Kenneth Kupper (Victoria), 13 grandchildren, Kolton (Kaleigh), Logan, Mary Kaitlyn Alvey, Kayla (Logan) Baechler, Jonathan Danial and Sydney Kraig, Kemper, Goldie and Blair Kupper, Camden and Cruz Kupper, Nigel Hampton, Hazel Kupper as well 5 great grandchildren.
Survived by siblings, brothers Ron (Dawn), Jim (Donna), and Bob (Lisa) Kupper, sisters Kathy Wolz and Debbie Curley (Scott) and a host of nieces and nephews whom he loved and adored.
Don was a man with such a commanding presence, giant in stature; all with a heart of gold, living life to the fullest and leaving a lasting impression on everyone he met. He taught those around him to stand tall, live life with a purpose, passion, and work ethic like no one else. A man firm in his faith, a loyal friend, holding tightly to the things that matter most; faith, family and friends. His legacy lives on through his family and the lives he touched along the way. He was one of a kind and certainly lived life his way!
The funeral visitation will be held at Ratterman Brothers Funeral Home East Louisville, 12900 Shelbyville Rd., Louisville, KY 40243 on Friday, July 18, from 12:00-8:00. A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, July 19 at 10:00 at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 7813 Shelbyville Rd., Louisville, KY 40222 followed by a procession to the chapel at Calvary Cemetery, 1600 Newburg Rd. Louisville, KY 40205.
The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to both the Jewish MICU and NEURO ICU staff for the level of compassionate care for Don and family during this very challenging period.
Expressions of Sympathy may be made to the Mass of the Air (1200 South Shelby Street, Louisville, KY 40203-2600), American Heart Association (7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75231) or the American Cancer Society (P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741).