Charles Joseph Kroupa

CHARLES JOSEPH KROUPA 09/07/1932 – 11/13/2024 Charles Kroupa died suddenly in Yountville, California on November 13th. He was 92. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Charles was the only child of Joseph Kroupa and Bessie Vondracek (both originally from Bohemia, in the Czech Republic). Charles was married to Velia (Jorge) Kroupa from 1961-1970 and is survived by his only child – Paul Kroupa – with whom he was very proud. A memorial service will be held at the Veteran’s Home in Yountville, CA, on Thursday, December 19 at 10 am. His ashes will be interned at the California Veteran’s Cemetery on the grounds of the Veteran’s Home in Yountville. Growing up in Kansas City, Charles went to Catholic schools, participated in varsity sports, and became an Eagle Scout. Charles later attended the Kansas City Art Institute, where he studied art and architecture and eventually graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. After graduation, Charles joined the United States Army and served in Germany from 1953 to 1955. Following his service, he returned to Kansas City and got a job in an architecture firm for a few years before heading to the West Coast. Charles arrived in San Francisco in 1959 and never left. He continued to pursue a career in architecture, which evolved into a 30-year career in city planning. He joined the San Francisco City & County Planning Department in the early 1960s. We would later work for the planning departments of Hayward and Richmond, California. He retired in 1990, which allowed him to focus on the things that brought joy to his life: • Cooking and trying new recipes • Hiking and camping in Yosemite • Motorcycle road trips in the Sierras • Collecting Scandinavian furniture • German opera and classical music • Predicting the movements of the stock market Charles lived the majority of his life in San Francisco, but spent time in El Cerrito and Oakmont before moving to the Yountville Veteran’s Home in 2006. There he found a welcoming community in a beautiful setting that he was happy to call home. Charles will be missed by his family, friends, and the VA community.

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Charles Joseph Kroupa

September 7, 1932 - November 13, 2024