Roman Hupp

Funeral services for Roman Hupp, 75, of Oakdale, were Tuesday, Jan. 16, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Neligh. Reverend Pat Nields will be celebrant, with burial in Oakdale Cemetery.

Military honors will be provided by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5287, American Legion Post 171, Army National Guard Honor Guard and American Legion Riders.

Brockhaus-Harlan Funeral Home in Tilden was in charge of arrangements.

Roman died Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, at Antelope Memorial Hospital in Neligh.

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Roman Hupp was born Oct. 4, 1948, in Norfolk to John and Christina Hupp, who managed to get him home to their Wheeler County farmstead right before the massive snowstorms of 1948 began. His infancy helped prepare him for later in life when he and his siblings would walk – in any weather conditions – to a one-room schoolhouse in Wheeler County. He then attended Burns Catholic School in Norfolk for two years before graduating from Wheeler Central High School in Bartlett in 1966.

In 1967, he met Patricia Brink. They were married on Aug. 2, 1969, at St. Mary's Church in Norfolk.

Also in 1969, Roman was drafted to the U.S. Army. He was based out of Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and was part of the Battery B 5th Battalion 2D Artillery that served in Vietnam from 1970 to 1971. He was awarded Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze service stars and a Sharpshooter Badge with rifle bar.

After his service, he returned home where he and his wife, Pat, lived in Norfolk before they settled in Oakdale. Roman worked for Vulcraft as a welder for several years. He then became a certified mechanic technician and went to work for Huglin Motors in Neligh. He eventually went to work in Norfolk as a mechanic at Langel Chevrolet, where there was less of a chance that he would have to work on an inferior Ford product (his strong opinion, of course). He retired from there in 2004.

After retirement, he took over the Brink family farm east of Oakdale and retired from farming in 2019. His love for farming didn't end there as he continued to help his friends with their harvests until his death. In 2019, Roman and Pat celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

In his spare time, you could find Roman tinkering in his shop, working on cars (not Fords) and tractors (probably John Deere) or drinking coffee and telling stories with his friends. He loved taking his dog, Penny, on pickup rides to the field and checking the crops. He enjoyed visiting his kids and watching his grandkids through their many activities. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing with his friends. One of his recent highlights was reuniting with his Vietnam War buddies, Bob, Brian and Jerry. They had not been in contact with each other since the war in 1971.

Roman was a past member of the Oakdale Fire Department and a member of the village board. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 172 and St. Francis Catholic Church in Neligh.

He is survived by his spouse, Pat, of Oakdale; his three children, Matthew (Michelle) of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Lisa (Heath) of Fort Worth, Texas, and Nicole (Shane) of Omaha; and his beloved dog, Penny; grandchildren, Eliana, Joshua, Katrina and Levi of Tulsa, Quinten, Easton and Brinkley of Fort Worth and Rhett of Omaha; siblings, Virgil (Sharon) of Ewing and Reola "Ann" Volgman of Wisconsin; brothers and sisters-in-law, Jim Nephew of Belleville, Illinois., Anita Hupp of Norfolk, Roger and Maxine Brink of Atkinson, and Keith and Mia Brink of Lacey, Washington .; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; mother and father-in-law, Mildred and Merle Brink; sisters, Philamae Nephew and Barbara Stuhr; brother, Leland Hupp; and brothers-in-law, Ray Stuhr and Bill Volgman.