Dwayne Vincent Hupke

1927 - 2020

Dwayne Vincent 'Hup' Hupke

Cherokee, Iowa, formerly Sioux City

Dwayne Vincent "Hup" Hupke, 93, of Cherokee, Iowa, formerly Sioux City, passed away Monday, Dec. 7, 2020 at Accura Healthcare in Cherokee.

Service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Mater Dei Parish, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, with the Rev. Daniel Rupp as Celebrant. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Sioux City. Visitation, with the family present, will be one hour prior to the service. Masks and distancing is requested by those planning on attending. Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel is assisting the family. Online condolences may be offered at www.meyerbroschapels.com. Unfortunately, Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had an impact on all our lives and affects our ability to pay tribute and say goodbye as we would like to those so near and dear to us.

They say angels walk amongst us: Dwayne was the son and brother the angels sing about. Dwayne was the 3rd of nine children and never let his treasured mother and siblings down. He took on the role of the man of the family always making sure there was food on the table, and everyone was safe. He was known as "Hup" and always entered a room with a smile that would melt your heart and a wit that left family gatherings with lasting memories. His large extended family loved him so dearly and will miss him very much.

Hup was born on June 13, 1927, in Mapleton, Iowa, to John and Mary Rose (Uhl) Hupke. He attended schools in Mapleton. He was called into active service in the U.S. Army on Aug. 18, 1945. Hup trained at Ft. Riley, Kansas for Infantry Basic Training before returning home for a furlough. Returning to the Army, he trained at Ft. Ord, Calif. for overseas duty.

While serving with the 603rd Medium Tank Company in Japan, he repaired and made adjustments on small arms, rifles, carbines, and machine guns. He also cleaned weapons and occasionally worked on 75mm, 76mm, and 105 mm cannons. He attained a rank of a T4 grade Armorer Tank Commander while in Japan. Hup's group arrived in Japan shortly after the atomic bomb was dropped. He received his honorable discharge at Fort Lewis, Washington on Jan. 17, 1947.

Following his discharge, Hup returned to Mapleton, where he worked as a bricklayers tender, and worked at the lumber company before moving to Sioux City. There he met, and married, his lovely bride, Dorothy E. Fitzpatrick on Aug. 20, 1955, at St. Boniface Catholic Church. Together, Dwayne and Dorothy enjoyed traveling and adored their sweet dog, Comet.

Dwayne worked for Bekins Furniture store in Sioux City, where he was a furniture repair and refinisher, from which he retired at age 65.

He enjoyed fishing, hunting squirrels and rabbits, building bird houses, bowling, and playing pool. Hup enjoyed memberships to the Eagle's Club, American Legion, Boys of '68, Knights of Columbus, and Immaculate Conception and St. Boniface Catholic Churches.

Dwayne is survived by his wife Dorothy Hupke of Cherokee; brother, Leo (Kathy) Hupke of Cherokee; three sisters, Margie Young of Merrill, June Beacom of Sioux City, and Monica Johnston of O'Fallon, Mo.; and many nieces and nephews who will always treasure the memories of their uncle Dwayne.

Hup was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Delbert; sisters, Macile Miller, Mary Young, and Theresa Hupke (in infancy); brothers-in-law, Raymond Miller, Robert Beacom, James Young, and William Johnston; sister-in-law, Beverly Hupke; and nephews, Monty Hupke and Tim Hupke.