Frank Lupton obituary
“The sun is shining, the birds are singing, it’s a great day to be alive”
Frank D. Lupton, Jr., Ph.D., age 88, of Lake City, Minn. passed away peacefully on March 10, 2021 at his home in Rochester, Minn., in the care of Heartland Hospice, following a three year battle with ALS. Yvonne, his wife, was his primary caregiver.
A private family funeral will be held on March 20, and a memorial service will be scheduled in late spring in Lake City. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Mahn Funeral Home in Rochester.
Frank was born on April 21, 1932, in Paola, Kan., to Fern Gilliland Lupton and Frank DeHaven Lupton, Sr. He became an Eagle Scout during this time, which shaped his life. He attended Harris Teachers College in St. Louis, where he met Yvonne Adele Duemler. They were married on June 30,1954. He and Yvonne began their peripatetic lifestyle when Frank entered the U. S. Army. Frank would proudly tell you that they have lived in 32 different places during their married life!
His lifelong passions included Scouting, camping, working with kids, and teaching, advising and mentoring college students. He is remembered by his students for his deep commitment to helping them find their direction in life. He remained in touch with many, and Zoomed with them in groups and individually until his last two weeks of life. He will be remembered by the friends of his children in Blandinsville, Ill., for taking time to play games and talk with them about their goals, and his fancy dives into the backyard pool.
He loved talking to people of every age and had time for everyone. He will be remembered for introducing the monkey’s fist rope trick to many of them everywhere he traveled, worked and lived. Adults and children in Peru, Portugal, Italy and Pakistan have his ropes. His doctor at Mayo Clinic is still trying to figure out the trick.
He was proud to be the recipient of the 100th Anniversary National Boy Scouts of America Hall of Leadership award, and supported his three grandsons through their scouting and Eagle Scout achievements.
In retirement, Frank and Yvonne continued their enjoyment of RV camping by living and traveling in an RV full-time for two years. They later settled in Lake City, where Frank continued his civic service by joining Yvonne in volunteering at the Food Shelf, and serving on committees, including the Community Education Advisory Council, Lake City Mayo Clinic Patient Advisory Council, Lake City Bike Rodeo Active Living Committee, Riverwalk Development Committee, and his passion, the Walking Lake
Pepin Active Living Committee. He continued to Zoom with close friends in Lake City until he died. He and Yvonne continued to be active in their Lake City church.
Frank loved his family, including Yvonne’s brothers, sisters, spouses and their children with whom many happy holidays were spent. He is survived by his wife, Yvonne, of Rochester; his three daughters, Chris Lupton of Lake City, Cathy (Jeff) Roepke of Rochester and Cindy (Doug) Erdal of Eden Prairie, Minn.; six grandchildren; and five great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Jerry.
The family thanks the endlessly kind and caring staff of River Bend Assisted Living, the wonderful caregivers of Heartland Hospice, and the ALS-MN Association.
The family prefers memorial contributions to Horn Field Campus at Western Illinois University in lieu of flowers. Western Illinois University professional life obituary http://www.wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.php?release_id=17742