Donald O. Kappes 79 of Elgin, died Friday, July 17, 2015 at his home. Born August 25, 1935 in Elgin, he was the son of Orville J. and Maythel E. (Crouse) Kappes.
He worked as a teacher starting in 1965 at Ellis Middle School, and Larkin High for 30 years. Don was known to be a conscientious, “tough but fair” caring math teacher, with a sense of humor. He enjoyed photography, and was one of the first educators to teach computer science. He graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology, and worked at the Elgin Watch Factory to put himself through school. After retirement he was a dedicated volunteer at Anderson Animal Shelter, So. Elgin, where he photographed the adoption Dogs for publication in the local papers.
He is preceded in death by his parents.
Don is survived by one brother Robert (Jolene) Kappes of Elgin; two nephews, Aaron of West Dundee, and Nathan of Chicago; many friends.
Visitation will be held Monday, July 27, 2015, from 9:00 a.m. until time of Memorial Service at 11:00 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 357 Division Street, Elgin with Pastor Darryl Thompson Powell, officiating. Burial will be private.
Memorials may be made in Don’s memory to the Anderson Animal Shelter and American Cancer Society. For more information please contact O’Connor – Leetz Funeral Home, Elgin (847) 741-1400.
You will always be MR. KAPPES to me,
As hard as I tried to call you Don (at your Request.)
My 7th grade math teacher, my mentor.
Without having you in my life who knows what road I would have gone down.
You were a father figure in my life, You were my tour guide to the zoo, streets
of Chicago, Wisconsin Dells, Texas to visit
my grandmother with many memorable stops in between.
All the circus’ you took me to.
You were my sounding board, regardless of the time, day or night…
You gave me the best advice ever, some I listened to some I thought,
Yeah okay whatever.
Without you always “on my case” helping me with my schooling, I am not sure I would have passed the Constitution with a smile.
When making chocolate chip cookies I think about you, and all the times I would call you at midnight while making them.
I would call you just to talk and tease you about how good they were.
The one time you came over at mid night to have cookies and milk with Sonny,
Lenea and I 🙂
You taught me how to drive a stick shift (your maroon BMW) funny thing tho, me sitting in the passenger seat shifting with my left hand telling you when to push the clutch in.
All the beautifully wrapped Christmas gifts and birthday gifts myself,
Sonny and Lenea receive from you 🙂
OMGOSH and all the concerts we went to…. all the Mac Davis albums you gave to me,
I sure was crazy about him 🙂
I was so happy you walked me down the aisle and gave me away…
You were probably thinking… WOW, what took so long? (wink~wink)
As I told you when I won my first photo contest you were my inspiration.
You encouraged me in my photo taking starting me out with my very first camera, a Kodak 110 camera WITH built in flash!!!
With every click of my camera you will be in my thoughts.
You use to always tell me to keep looking up, so the day I snapped the picture of the winning picture me looking up at the tree, I knew in my heart it was going to be a winner, titled “Looking Up” I can still hear your voice when you received the photo in the mail, telling me how happy you were for me.
When I gave birth to my son Ray at such a young age you never once judged me, you explained that I would just have to live my life differently than other 16 year olds. IN DEED I did, and with all of the help you gave to Ray and I we are both better people for having you in our life.
I could go on and on but won’t, I will just smile at the all the memories you have given to me.
You will be so missed.
Thank you for being in my life RIP 1972-2015
Looking Up….
Joy Woolf~Woodhall