Willard K. Cupp

When reflecting on the life of Willard Cupp, it is easy to see that he lived life to the fullest - and then some. He was a man of great strength and courage who never let things get him down, and his ability to persevere through times of trial was truly inspiring. Bill was deeply devoted to his family, and there was nothing that made him more proud than witnessing his family tree blossom to include numerous branches of loved ones whom he adored. Life will never be the same without Bill here, but he leaves behind a timeless legacy that his loved ones will proudly carry on in his footsteps.

The 1930s were some of the most trying days we have faced as a nation as the entire decade was cloaked in the hardship of the Great Depression. Jobs were scarce, the unemployment rate soared, and many families were left without their homes. Despite the trials around them, Willard Otto and Alice May (Mosure) Cupp were able to celebrate as they were blessed with the birth of the baby boy they named Willard Keith on September 28, 1939, at St. Joseph Hospital in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. He was the second child in his family as he was raised in the family home on Mulberry Street in Bluffton, Indiana, alongside his older sister, Joyce, and his younger siblings, Janice, and Jon. Bill loved playing baseball and played Little League the first season it was offered in his community. In fact, he even hit the very first home run they had! Bill attended local schools including Bluffton High School where he was a member of the newly formed wrestling team during his freshman year. He also played in the high school band and started working at Caylor Nickel Hospital in Bluffton when he was 16. Bill enjoyed attending the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Bluffton with his grandma.

Shortly after graduating from high school in 1957, Bill joined the Army and left for basic training that same summer. He became a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne and also an MP. While serving, his tour took him to Germany, Lebanon and other areas around the world. Unfortunately, he sustained a serious injury during a parachute maneuver at Fort Campbell, Kentucky that left him disabled. After returning home, Bill started working for Prudential Insurance and later for Harvester International in Ft. Wayne.

Life was forever changed for Willard when he met the woman of his dreams. Her name was Rebecca Ann Robbins, and he couldnt help but notice her in her yellow top and dress while out with his buddy, Larry, during the summer of 1961. Becky also happened to be Larrys cousin so they were soon introduced to each other. Deeply in love, Bill and Becky were married in December of 1961, and they would celebrate their anniversary on New Years Eve for the rest of their married life.They settled in Montpellier, and Bill and Becky were blessed with six children, Michelle, Larry, Donald, Debra, Willard II Scooter, and Alice.

Throughout his life Bill was known for his strong work ethic. While at Harvester, he made the decision to move his growing family from Montpellier to Ft. Wayne. By the mid 1960s, he started working for Joslyn Steel in Ft. Wayne. On December 15, 1969, another tragic accident happened while working that would leave him burned over 65 percent of his body. However, Bill was not one to stay down and worked hard to recover and went on to attend Ivy Tech State College for an Associates Degree.

After buying a piece of property in Bear Lake from his dear friend and mentor, Elwood Thomas, for just a dollar, Bill moved his family there in 1974. He loved everything about family, and he was not only a great husband, but a great father and grandfather as well. As a family they often went camping, boating, and fishing, and he took his children to the first McDonalds that opened up in New Haven. Bill also took them to the Indiana Dunes, and after piling his wife and all six kids into the family station wagon they also went to Florida. They took family picnics and even went out for ice cream and to the park after completing family projects.

Even though he was disabled, Bill never let that slow him down. Bill had an entrepreneurial spirit, working in real estate, coins, stamps and lottery tickets. His collecting of lottery tickets lead to him authoring the word lotology which was added to Websters Dictionary. He also enjoyed fishing, mushroom hunting. As the children got older, Bill and Becky enjoyed traveling around and visited places like Florida, Mississippi, Arizona, California, and Las Vegas. He was a member of the Lotology Club, and of Bear Lake Ministries as well as a big supporter of their Bear Lake Camp.

All who knew Bill would agree that he was truly extraordinary. He had the biggest heart and selflessly gave of his time and his resources in countless ways. Over the years Bill has supported several children through Compassion International, and with a love for animals that was as strong as his love for humans, Bill took in several rescue cats including Macaroni Mac and Foxy currently. His door was also open for people who needed a place to stay, and he also bought Christmas gifts for families in need. Bill was a funny guy who lived for April Fools as he spent hours on end coming up with the best pranks to play on friends and loved ones before they got him good as he passed his excellent prankster skills on to his children. Bill was a fighter who never gave up as his greatest desire was to be there for his family despite being told he wouldnt live beyond some of his circumstances at times.

There was no one who met Willard Keith Cupp and left unchanged. He was the sort of person who never met a stranger, and his spirit of generosity was unmatched. Although he treasured his roles as a husband and father, Bill firmly believed that becoming Poppy to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren was his sweetest reward. He had a nickname for everyone he met, and there was never an April Fools Day prank like the ones he came up with. Whether he was serving in his community, enjoying the beauty of nature, or just spending some time with his grandchildren, Bill savored every minute of it. Deeply loved, he will never be forgotten.

Willard Keith Bill Cupp was called home on September 16, 2016. Bills family includes his wife, Becky Cupp; children, Michelle Wilson, of Roanoke, Larry Cupp, of Fort Wayne, Donald Jay Cupp, of Fort Wayne, Debra (Duane) Crisp, of Bear Lake, Willard K. Scooter (Shelly) Cupp, of Bear Lake and Alice (Marc) Robinson, of Wolf Lake; brother, Jon (Barb) Cupp, of Florida; sisters, Joyce Schortgen, of Elkhart and Janice (John) Musselman, of Bristol; 27 grandkids; and 25 great-grandkids. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Willard Otto Cupp and Alice May Childers; infant grandsons, Cory and Andrew Cupp; and infant great-granddaughter, Hazel Cupp.

Visitation is 4-7 p.m., Tuesday, September 20, 2016, at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, at the funeral home with Pastor Monty Harlan officiating. Burial will follow at Thorn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his honor to Bear Lake Camp. To send Bills family condolences, visit www.demoneygrimes.com .