John Krupa Obituary

July 28, 1943 – November 30, 2022
John Adolph Krupa, 79, of Chula Vista, died suddenly November 30, 2022 of cardiac arrest. John was a loving, supportive, dependable, caring father, grandfather, brother, mentor and friend. The son of the late Adolph and Josephine Krupa of Newington, Connecticut, John is survived by his three daughters, Melanie Krupa-Kelly (Sean) of Escondido, California, Jacquelyn Krupa Schmidt (Kelly) of Temecula, California and Jennifer Krupa Grimm (Adam) of Davidsonville, Maryland; his former wife, Linda Krupa (Early) of Hemet, California; seven grandchildren, Braun Wilburn, Jacob Schmidt, Savannah Schmidt, Tyler Schmidt, William Grimm, Samuel Grimm, Joseph Grimm, two step-grandchildren Jack Kelly and Finley Kelly; his sister, Dorothy K. Dropick and brother-in-law, John Dropick, of Edgartown, Massachusetts, cousins Joyce Krupa, Steve Krupa, Joan Burbank, Ed Guzy, Skip Guzy, Cheryl Peoples, Dan Guzy, Betsy Hohn, Kathy Fivecoat, Marcia Brogan, and multiple nieces and nephews. John’s late brother, Joseph A. Krupa, preceded him to heaven.

John graduated from Newington High School then served in the US Air Force at Fortuna Radar Station AFB, North Dakota and Elmendorf AFB, Alaska from 1962-1966. After marrying Linda Krupa (Early), they moved the family back to Connecticut. John worked for the US Postal Service in Hartford and Denver before joining the US Border Patrol in the 105th session. Duty stations included Chula Vista, Temecula, Riverside, and Brown Field where he retired as a Supervisory Border Patrol Agent after 24 years. In a 1979 ceremony in Washington D.C., John was honored by the Attorney General with the Commissioner’s Meritorious Achievement Award for bravery above and beyond the call of duty in the rescue of an injured woman abandoned on Palomar Mountain. In 1980 and 1989 he served as a firearms instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), Glynco, Georgia. He was a member and captain of the US Border Patrol Pistol Team for several years, and remained active in the California Police Pistol Association, National Rifle Association, American Legion, VFW, DAV, and several other organizations until his death.

When John was not spending time with his family, he enjoyed golfing, shooting, watching sports, and telling stories with Border Patrol retirees and friends. John will be remembered and missed by so many.

Services for John Krupa are Monday, January 9, 2023, at 1:30pm at Miramar National Cemetery, 5795 Nobel Dr, San Diego, CA 92122. (858) 658-7360.  Gather near the front entrance in the cortège lanes (Lane 3) beginning at 1:00pm. Following the service, a Celebration of Life will be held at the VFW in Chula Vista beginning at 2:30pm. Address: 299 I St, Chula Vista, CA 91910. (619) 476-1568.
To contribute any photos to be shared at the Celebration of Life, please email them to KrupaFuneral@gmail.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Disabled American Veterans (https://www.dav.org/) and American Heart Association (https://www.heart.org/).