Harry Behrer Kropp

1942 - 2026

Harry Behrer Kropp

January 22, 1942 - January 26, 2026

State College, Pennsylvania - Harry Behrer Kropp, 84, of State College, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully on January 26, 2026.

Born and raised in State College, Harry was a proud 1959 graduate of State College High School and a lifelong Penn Stater. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education in 1963 and a Master of Arts in Spanish in 1965 from The Pennsylvania State University. Harry's connection to Penn State, and particularly the College of Education, remained central to his identity throughout his life. He held a deep respect for the teaching profession and believed profoundly in the power of educators to shape lives, communities, and a more just world. A proud lifelong Penn Stater, Harry followed the University closely, spoke often of its impact on his formation as a teacher and human being, and celebrated the shared commitment to learning that he saw reflected in its students and faculty.

Harry is survived by his beloved husband of 60 years, Ed Legutko. Together, Harry and Ed built a life rooted in love, service, and quiet generosity, touching countless lives and leaving an enduring impact on everyone fortunate enough to know them.

Their love story began in 1966 in Greenwich, Connecticut, where they met while working as educators. Teaching was not simply Harry's profession, it was his calling. Over the course of a 25-year career, he taught high school Spanish and English, later served in the Foreign Language in the Elementary School program for grades 3–6, and concluded his career teaching grades 2 to 4. Even in retirement, Harry remained a true educator, continuing to substitute teach, volunteering in AIDS hospice care, and serving as an oblate in the Benedictine Grange Community, where he and Ed also worshiped.

Harry's love of music and theatre began early. He performed percussion in band and orchestra and participated in Thespians during his school years, nurturing a lifelong passion for the performing arts. That love became a shared joy with Ed, as the two attended countless Broadway shows together. Harry felt especially grateful for the many memories they made traveling to New York City and around the world, always side by side.

In 2003, Harry and Ed returned home to State College, where they continued a life of service. They volunteered with the LGBTQA Student Resource Center at Penn State and served with Penn State's Catholic Campus Ministry. Harry and Ed were a familiar and beloved presence on campus, particularly within the College of Education community, where Harry's lifelong commitment to teaching, mentorship, and care for students resonated deeply with generations of educators in the making.

On July 29, 2005, following Massachusetts' recognition of marriage equality the year prior, Harry and Ed formally celebrated their love in a marriage ceremony in Provincetown, Massachusetts, an affirmation of a bond they had lived every day for decades.

In addition to his devoted husband, Ed, Harry is survived by his sister-in-law, Tina Legutko; niece Lisa Bostic Paro; nephew Jeff Bostic; and many other family members, friends, and chosen family whose lives he touched deeply. Among his cherished chosen family are Brian Patchcoski, Greg Nolan, and their children, Declyn and Keegyn Patchcoski (Harry's beloved grandchildren), who brought joy and laughter to Harry's life. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Helen Kropp, and his sister, Mina Jo Bostic. Harry's family is also so grateful for the care and support provided by the Penn State Hershey Medical Intensive Care Unit team.

A viewing is planned at Koch Funeral Home in State College, PA, from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 1, 2026. A Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Monday, February 2, 2026, at Our Lady of Victory in State College, PA, celebrated by Father Matthew Laffey, O.S.B. Interment will take place at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at St. Mary's Cemetery, North Street, Greenwich, Connecticut.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Harry's memory to causes he held dear, such as Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, The Trevor Project, or the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity at Penn State.