Ralph A. (Jack) Kappel passed quietly on Nov. 29,2019, at the Sidney Health Center with family present after a short illness. He greeted those who have passed before him with open and loving arms.
Jack was born in Savage, MT on January 27, 1926. He started his life in the Skaar community with his parents Andrew (Andy) and Kathyrn “Marie” Kappel joining a sister Bonnie. Later sister Barbara was born. Jack attended the Skaar School for 1st and 2nd-grade skiing to school in the winter.
They returned to the original homestead while Jacks dad carried the mail to Sidney. They remained there until Bonnie started high school. The family moved to Sidney where Jack lived and attended Sidney schools until he was drafted into the service for WWII. He joined the U.S. Navy in June of 1944. He served 2 years on the USS Commencement Bay which was a U.S. Navy Escort training aircraft carrier. In 1946 he was honorably discharged from the Navy and returned to Sidney where he worked various jobs. He later passed the civil service test and was hired by the U.S. Postal Service in 1950. He worked as a letter carrier until the summer of 1981. He carried mail in Sidney for 31 years and prided himself on keeping his patrons well satisfied. He was admired by colleagues as the fastest and most accurate mail caser they had ever seen.
He met his wife Bonnie Coon in 1950 and they were married in 1952. They spent 62 years together. Two children were born into their lives, Zona in 1955 and Jody in 1957. They stopped operating the dairy in 1954 because of proposed updates and new regulations but Jack continued to keep a milk cow and cattle until the late ’90s. He enjoyed the animals but after a couple of accidents, he could not care for them.
Jack wanted his family to experience some traveling and see some of the things he had when he was in the Navy, so summer vacations were enjoyed. He followed his children’s sporting events and helped them with their 4-H projects as well. He was a quiet, honest and loyal man with a unique sense of humor. Jack was an accomplished marksman and enjoyed hunting. Testimony from his family, he always got what he aimed at.
Jack was active over the years in bowling leagues, VFW and Moose organizations, the American Legion and a member of his postal union until his passing.
Those preceding Jack in death were his parents, Andrew and Marie Kappel, his wife; Bonnie, brothers-in-law; Wallace Russell and Robert “Bob” Coon, sister in law; Mary Ann Copas, and nephew Greg Russell.
He is survived by his children; Zona Mowrer and Jody Kappel, one grandson; Nick Mowrer, one great-granddaughter; Jeanice, his sisters; Bonnie Russell and Barbara Armstrong, multiple cousins throughout the U.S. along with numerous nieces and nephews.