Richard Duponcheel, 86

On January 17, 1939, Richard Jerome Duponcheel was born in Omaha as Ricardo Sebastian Costanzo, the only child of Sebastian and Louise (Musco) Costanzo being 100% Italian and a first generation American. His parents divorced when he was 2 years old with his mother marrying Jerome Duponcheel who adopted Rich changing his name to Richard Jerome Duponcheel. R ich w as r ecognized f or h is beautiful singing voice over his lifetime be it as a soloist in elementary, high school, or in college programs, community choirs, and in musical theater. At the age of 10 he was selected to represent all Omaha elementary students when WOWTV began color broadcasting. He was a member of the Kearney State College Choraleers, Guam Symphony Chorale, Eugene, Oregon Community Concert Choir and the Heartland Concert Choir and Barber Shoppers of North Platte. He also sang in several church choirs. In 1981, he sang for Saint John Paul II when the Pope visited Guam.

Rich a ttended O maha Public S chools g raduating f rom S outh H igh i n 1957. He worked at Kilpatricks Department Store in Omaha during his high school years.

Upon his graduation from high school, he moved to California. During the Vietnam Conflict Rich volunteered, enlisting and serving in the U.S. Army Security Agency stationed in Massachusetts, Hawaii, and Japan where he was responsible for intercepting messages of the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong. Upon his discharge from the Army, Rich began his educational career graduating from Peru State College in 1967. He then entered Kearney State College for his graduate work towards his Master’s Degree and where he met the person who became the love of his life-Karolyn Lynch of Arnold. In 1968 the two graduated from K SC w ith M aster’s D egrees on A ugust 9 , m arried i n Arnold August 10 and moved to Guam on Aug. 14 where they spent 25 years. Richard began his teaching career in 1968 at George Washington Senior High School, Mangilao, Guam (student population 2,400) i n t he B usiness E ducation D epartment, a p osition h e h eld f or the next 25 years while also sponsoring numerous student organizations and activities. He and Karolyn became known as Mr. and Mrs. D. The Duponcheel sons were born on Guam, Lawerence Jerome on January 4, 1972 and Daniel Richard born on September 18, 1987. R ich w as a ctive i n l ocal community t heater e specially t he musical p lays o f R ogers a nd H ammerstein. I n 1 982 he r eceived t he Governor’s Art Award for Outstanding Performance by an individual.

During 25 years on Guam Rich served four years in the Army Reserves and 15 years in the Coast Guard Reserves.

Traveling was one of the Duponcheel’s favorite activities during their entire marriage. Agendas included going around the world in 1970, to Communist China in 1977, and to the majority of countries in Asia and the Pacific as w ell as to Canada, Mexico and throughout the U.S. mainland. A fter his love of family and singing Rich spent thousands of hours during his life time jogging, running, biking and participating in marathons and in civic events. He jogged several miles every day until his deteriorating right hip joint made this impossible.

Richard loved to laugh and because of his quiet and gentle approach to life this sometimes surprised people. O ne of his favorite stories w as telling people he was the uncle of the Lone Ranger when his niece Connie w as m arried t o C layton M oore, t he actor w ho p ortrayed t he Lone Ranger on television.

He a nd K arolyn w ould s ay s everal t imes a d ay, “I L ove y ou! A lways Together Forever.” This was the slogan they lived by their entire marriage-supporting each other in all endeavors as loving partners. In 1991 they returned to the States-first to Arnold for 3 years and then to Ainsworth where Karolyn w as principal of the High School a nd Rich was a substitute teacher and a Special Education assistant.

In 2016 Rich first showed signs of dementia which developed into Alzheimer's. The Duponcheels then moved back to Arnold. Even in his worst memory conditions Rich could be heard quietly singing to himself the lyrics of songs he had sung over his lifetime and saying “I love you” to his family.

By 2 022 his l eft h ip j oint h ad d eteriorated. I n 2 023 his h ealth worsened a nd i n the f all of 2024 his f amily c ould no longer c are f or him a t h ome. A t t hat t ime, R ich b ecame a r esident i n t he V eteran’s section of the Hilltop Estates in Gothenberg. On April 21, 2025 Rich ended his long Goodbye of Alzheimer’s when he passed away at the age of 86 years, 3 months and 3 days.

Richard was an intelligent, honest, hard-working, kind, and loving individual, always loyal, supportive and ever protective of those he loved. He was ever the gentle man and a gentlemen to all those he knew and met.

Left t o c herish h is memory a re h is w ife of 5 6 y ears, K arolyn, s ons Lawerence (Carrie) of Tinian/Arnold and Daniel of Lincoln, granddaughters Dolores-Karolyn and Danielle Louisa of Arnold/Tinian; sisters and brothers-in-laws Kitty and Bill Vogel (Arnold), Linda and Larry Kastens (Anselmo); step-brothers and sisters-in-law Duane and Carolyn Bowers(Arnold), Glen and Kathy Bowers(Arnold), and Gary and Linda Bowers(Holdrege); nieces Connie Moore, Lori Klein, Lynnett Panietz, Della Daily, Nephews Larry and Kiley Vogel, Lonnie Kastens, Derek and Drew Bowers; cousins Georgia Harrah (Nebraska City), Polly-Ann Chandler (Omaha), Carolyn (Frank)Powell(Denver), Linda and Gary Nobbman(Lincoln), Jeri Reagan and Keith Deras (Omaha); special friends Joseph Diego and Michael Callo and hundreds of former students from Guam and Ainsworth who knew him as Mr. D.

Preceeding him in death were his parents Louise and Jerome Duponcheel, biological father Sebastian Costanzo, maternal grandmother Lucia (Rusco) Musco, his parents-in-law Lawerence Lynch a nd D oris L ynch B owers, sister-in-law K athy Lynch, s pecial cousin J oseph G uido a nd s pecial u ncle D onald ( Mutt) S hields, half-sisters Constance and Josephine and half-brother Samuel (Cathy), maternal aunts and uncles Angelina (Andy)Nobmann and Pauline(Bill)Feuguay, Fred(Nova)Musco, and all of Karolyn’s aunts and uncles.

Memorial donations are suggested to the Arnold Historical Museum, the American Legion Post 130 of Arnold, Ainsworth Senior Center, or to t he f amily f or a n organization t hat t hey w ill select t o h onor Richard’s memory. C ondolences may be shared at Box 4, Arnold, NE 69120.

Memorial services are scheduled for May 3 at 10 a.m. at Saint Agnes Catholic Church in Arnold. Cremation was chosen. Internment will take place at the Arnold Cemetery at a later date. Carpenter Memorial Chapel of North Platte is in charge of arrangements.