John Adolfs Pupurs

John Adolfs Pupurs, 72, died October 30, 2019 with his beloved son Gary and daughter Karen by his side in Denver, CO. John fought valiantly against prostate cancer for nine years, but sadly has now left this Earth to journey onto his next heavenly adventures.

John was born May 14, 1947 in Esslingen, Germany to Latvian citizens Adolfs Pupurs and Daina Pupurs (Lauva) while living with his two older siblings Morris and Skaidrite at a displaced persons (DP) camp after WWII. Three years later, his family was finally admitted to the USA at Ellis Island in 1950 to start their own American dream. After the Pupurs family worked on a farm in upstate New York for a year, they moved to Chicago to join the Latvian emigrant community there. John's father worked as a carpenter and the family was active in the Chicago Latvian Zion Lutheran Church where John was confirmed.

John graduated from Prosser Vocational High School in 1965. A year later, he entered the National Guard, was promoted to Sergeant, and served for five years, including in the Chicago MLK and DNC riots. He attended Wright College to pursue his growing interest in mechanical engineering. John met Mary Daniels on St. Patrick's Day, 1970 and they married July 8, 1972. They lived in Elk Grove Village, IL where son Gary was born in 1976, and later moved to Rockford, IL to further his career where daughter Karen was born in 1980. Having grown to love this country and the opportunities it offered, John earned his U.S. citizenship in 1992 and held that honor dear to his heart. After living again in Chicago for several years, John moved to Denver in 2010 to be close to his daughter and better enjoy the Western landscapes he'd grown to love.

John's career focused on executive leadership in precision industrial manufacturing and machining, always with an eye to improving quality, performance, cost controls, and supply chain management. He founded several companies (Dunwell Corporation, Rockford Manufacturing, Rockford Sales Co., and Dunwell Manufacturing Services), and held executive and management roles in many others, including Goss, Rockwell Int'l., Publishers Equipment Corp., KBA Motter, Tensor Group, Custom Gear & Machine, Abbott Plastics, Bourne & Koch, Accurate Metal Fabricating, and Doyle Woodhouse & Moore (as a commercial Realtor) in Illinois, and Springs Fabrication and Easter Owens in Colorado.

John's interests included RV'ing, boating, camping, hiking, fishing, sightseeing, playing poker, tinkering (with RVs, boats, engines, & anything mechanical), and attending the grandkids' many events. John was an avid traveler who drove his RV to dozens of National Parks across the U.S. fulfilling his retirement dream! John had the most generous heart and would do anything for those who he loved. To know John...was to love John.

John was a loving father, brother, husband, uncle, grandparent, boss, co-worker, & friend and will be greatly missed by so many!

John Pupurs is survived by his brother Morris Pupurs; sister Skaidrite Reinerts; son Gary Pupurs and his wife Erin; daughter Karen Humble and her husband Jim; ex-wife Mary Daniels-Huff; and his beloved and spoiled grandchildren Amanda, Madison, Sophia & Jimmy Humble and Alexander Pupurs.

He is preceded in death by his father Adolfs Pupurs and mother Daina Pupurs (Lauva).

Due to many loved friends and families in both cities, John requested memorials in both Denver and Chicago. A memorial service will be held at Horan & McConaty (11150 E Dartmouth Ave Aurora, CO 80014) on Saturday, November 23rd at 10 AM. A second memorial/celebration of life will be held on Saturday, November 30th at Basilico (4701 N. Cumberland Ave, Norridge, IL 60706) at 11 AM.

Memorial donations in John's name may be made to the Prostate Cancer Foundation at pcf.org/donate.

Memorial Service: November 23, 2019 10:00 am

Horan & McConaty - SE Denver/Aurora
11150 E. Dartmouth Ave.
Aurora, CO 80014