Funeral Mass for Stephen Gregory Kupka

Stephen Gregory Kupka

May 26, 1944 – May 2, 2024

Services at Saint John Vianney Thursday, May 23, 2024
 

Family and Friends Gathering: 10:00 AM 

Funeral Mass at 11:00 AM

Burial in Saint John Vianney Cemetery

Reception Immediately Following in the Parish Center Vianney Room

Retired Navy Captain Stephen Gregory Kupka, 79, of Lusby, MD, passed away in Washington, DC, on May 2, 2024, with his family by his side. 

Steve was born to the late Stephen Theodore and Ann Marie (Mikolajczyk) in Fremont, OH, on May 26, 1944. He was the oldest brother of four loving siblings, including Marlene (Bruce) Turner of Sequim, WA, Amy (Philip) Masten of Ocala, FL, Stanley (Martha) Kupka of Bloomingdale, MI, and Joanne (Greg) Leitschuh of Wake Forrest, NC.

Growing up, Steve attended St. Casimir Grade School, where he was one of five students taught by Sister Mary Loyola for all eight years. He graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1962. At St. Joseph's, Steve was Student Council President, lettered in basketball and played and umpired baseball for the Roger Young Parks and Recreation League. In high school, he discovered his love for music and played bass for the Tom Stierwalt Quartet, which toured throughout northern Ohio. This fondness for music followed him throughout his life and often revealed itself with spontaneous singing. Steve even serenaded the hospital staff during one of his recent visits. 

Steve earned his degree from Marquette University, where he zipped around campus on his Honda 50 scooter, regardless of the temperature. Steve continued supporting Marquette throughout his life by braving the DC traffic annually to attend the Golden Eagles games with fellow alums Nick and Joe, and his sons. Steve then received his master's from Central Michigan University. 

Steve served in the US Navy from 1966 to 1993. He was designated a US Naval Aviator in 1967, completing nine major deployments while on sea duty on five different ships. He was a flight instructor and flew with the Canadian armed forces while on exchange duty. He was awarded the Navy Air Medal for saving his Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King helicopter following a night ditching in the Mediterranean Sea. He often said the best part about flying wasn't soaring through the skies but partnering and learning with his fellow pilots and engineers involved. He moved from helicopters to working for Naval Air Systems Command in DC. He capped off his military career as the Dean of the School of Program Management at the Defense Systems Management College.

His service to the country and community didn't end after his honorable discharge. In “retirement,” Steve continued to follow his passion for teaching and service. He volunteered as the director of religious education for St. Joseph Church in Bound Brook, NJ, where he initiated adult religious education studies at the parish. Steve moved to southern Maryland in 2003 and served as the theology teacher for St. Mary's Ryken High School in Leonardtown, MD. Steve often fondly reflected on his time at Ryken, saying that the students made him feel younger, and he immensely enjoyed seeing former students succeed around the community. He was also the president of the St. Mary's County Kiwanis Club. Steve's final “retirement” activity was serving as the Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Council. Throughout his time in southern Maryland, he was an ardent volunteer at his parish, St. John Vianney Catholic Church. Steve frequently and selflessly gave his time for any service needed (too many to list), was a constant at weekend services, and was the master omelet chef for Sunday morning parish breakfasts. 

Paramount to Steve's commitment to the community was his commitment to family. Steve was a devoted father to his children, Kelly Mathison of Winston-Salem, NC, Chris Mathison (Liz) of Winter Springs, FL, Kyle (Melaina) of Winchester, VA, and Greg (Stefanie) of Fairfax, VA. He was an incredibly proud and beloved "Grandpa Steve” to Gideon, Connor, Brian, McKenna, Indigo, Emily, Paisley, Kyle, Julia, and Owen. Growing up, the family spent many hours in the VW Vanagon on road trip adventures, often listening to Steve sing along to the radio with the not-quite-right lyrics. Steve continued his penchant for road trips with his grandkids by driving long hours to support their recitals, meets, games, and gigs. Steve also logged thousands of miles between Maryland and Ohio to care for his doting mother Ann, before her passing. Steve shared his hobbies with family, including woodworking projects for the grandkids and sailing on the Chesapeake Bay on his earlier craft, Sojourn, and later craft, The Queenie. 

Services will be at St. John Vianney Catholic Church (105 Vianney Lane, Prince Frederick, MD 20678) on Thursday, May 23, 2024. There will be a Family and Friends Gathering at 10:00 am, followed by the Funeral Mass at 11:00 am and Burial in Saint John Vianney Cemetery. A reception will immediately follow in the Parish Center Vianney Room.

To honor Steve, we ask that friends and family observe one of the principles he taught his students. Steve said: "The definition of 'love,' I would always teach my students, is to want, will, and work for the good of the other. As children of God, we are all obliged to look and act outside of ourselves to help our neighbors and our community for their benefit."

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in Steve's name to the Fisher House Foundation.

Obituary taken from: https://www.thenews-messenger.com/obituaries/pwoo0819091