Lt. Col. Burl Grupe

[ironputts]

December 3, 2020

Lt. Col. Burl Grupe
Illinois Wing

Burl C Grupe joined his wife Helen (Bodnar) Grupe in their heavenly home on Friday, Nov 23, 2018. He passed away at Brookdale Assisted Living in Colorado Springs, Co. He will be cremated and laid to rest in Woodlawn Cemetery next to his wife.
Burl was born on May 23, 1928, in Effingham Il, the son of Charles and Belva Grupe. He married Helen Bodnar of Pittsburgh, PA on 26 Jan 1952 and shared a wonderful life together just shy of 65 years when she passed Dec 25, 2016.
Burl was a retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant devoted to his family and a life of service. During his 23 years in the service, he served worldwide. A few locations included Illinois, Alaska, New York, Colorado, Las Vegas, Guam, Azores, New Foundland and Finland. Afterward, he came home and settled back in Effingham and finished raising their five children. He was a school teacher and retired from Shumway Elementary School. He served as a senior leader in the Illinois Wing Civil Air Patrol. All five kids followed in Burl's footsteps and served in the Air Force.
He is survived by his children, John (Jennifer Vanderhoof) Grupe of Las Vegas, NV, Doug (Jean Kalinski) Grupe of Arlington Heights, Dale Grupe of Lexington, KY, Sylvia (Steven) Taylor of Delmar, NY, and Elizabeth (Steve) Orie of Monument, CO. He has 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen, parents Charles and Belva Grupe; brothers, Samuel (Lee), Clark, George (Milan) and James (Jim) Grupe, sister Lois (Grupe) Call; and daughter-in-law, Anna Kathy (Kirk) Grupe.