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June 20, 1931-March 17, 2024

Richard ‘Dick’ Kroepel, 92, of Dowagiac, peacefully passed away in his sleep on Sunday evening, March 17, 2024, at White Oaks Assisted Living in Lawton. He was born on June 20, 1931, in Dublin, MI, the son of the late Arthur and Alice (Nanninga) Kroepel. He enlisted in the US Army in 1948 and was honorably discharge in 1952. On May 30, 1953, Dick was united in marriage to Genevieve ‘Genny’ Cochrane. In 1974, they built their dream home on Peavine St. and lived there until moving to the White Oaks Assisted Living in Lawton, MI in 2020.
Surviving are three children — Laura (Skip) Magee of Three Rivers, Linda (Gary) Craft of Holland and Laird “Larry” Kroepel of Kalamazoo; six grandchildren — Gabriel Smith, Benjamin (Becky Weishaar) Smith, Angela (William “Billy” Coffing) Craft, Daniel Craft, Jennifer (Dylan) Ginsberg and Andrew Kroepel; and one great-grandson — Lucas Coffing-Craft.
Preceding him in death was his wife of 69 years, Genny Kroepel; parents; and two brothers — Arthur and Edward Kroepel.
A service to celebrate Dick’s life will be held at 1 p.m., on Monday, April 8, at Clark Chapel – Starks Family Funeral Homes, 405 Center Street, Dowagiac, where friends may visit with the family from 12 p.m., until the time of service. Pastor Nathan Wilder will officiate. Interment with military honors will follow in Mission Hills Memorial Gardens. Memorial contributions in Dick’s name may be directed to Cass County Council on Aging or Centrica Care Navigators Hospice. Please visit Dick’s personalized webpage to share a memory or leave a condolence to his family at www.clarkch.com