Conrad Vaupel

Conrad Vaupel

Quasqueton

The world lost a good one this week. Conrad Vaupel (of Murphy’s Mule Barn) in Quasqueton passed away on Jan. 9, 2023, surrounded by his family.

He was born on Sept. 26, 1936, in rural Atkins, to Alfred and Carmen Vaupel. He graduated from Walker High School, then spent two years in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany during the Korean War. Conrad farmed and worked

at Universal Engineering in Cedar Rapids for 34 years.

He loved and is survived by his three daughters, Koleene Herlocker, Lanette Jensen and Anita Cano; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one sister Nadine Heiserman; and many close friends he cherished.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Doris Bagby; and brother, Marion Vaupel.

If you knew him, you know there literally was no one like him. He really didn’t like crowds, but had more friends than he could count from Alaska to Florida. If you didn’t know him you might think he was a grumpy old man, but was really a softie, had a heart of gold and would do anything for most. He hunted, fished and trapped anything you can imagine. He had real stories to tell! They weren’t always politically correct, and many made it a wonder he hadn’t spent time in jail, but they will give us all a chuckle when we remember them. They always involved friends he cherished (we’ll leave names out to protect the guilty). He was in many a fist fight in his time (he didn’t win them all, but most). He could fix, run or build anything (thank goodness because his attention to maintenance left something to be desired). You could literally find anything you needed or wanted at his house (after a little digging because his housekeeping was as good as his maintenance record). A collector of many things, he loved going to auctions and sales and accumulating stuff. To say that he lived a full life is an understatement. He certainly did everything his way. The only thing he regretted was some of the bridges he burned because of his German stubbornness. We hope that you will forgive him; though it doesn’t make up for it, he knew what he lost because of it.

As he got older, he longed for the old days; when people were honest, worked hard and did the right thing. If you were one of his friends, know that he cherished each one of you and he mourned the many who have gone before him. Just as we all mourn him now. Drink a glass of cheap whiskey or a red Old Milwaukee in his honor and take some time to remember the old days and adventures you shared with

him. He’s with Crow, all of the dogs he loved throughout his lifetime and his old friends now. They’re all walking through the timber hunting. He can hear the birds singing and the dogs treeing. He’ll see us when he looks at us.

There will be a private burial at the Quasqueton Cemetery this week followed by a Celebration of his Life with lunch provided from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at the AmVets Center in Quasqueton, Iowa. Reiff Funeral Home in Independence is helping the family with the burial.