Dan Koeppel

Dan Koeppel, 65, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, April 11, 2026. He was born December 2, 1960 in Cape Girardeau to Richard Lee and Alice Faye Schweer Koeppel. He and Rita Ann Stoverink were married June 4, 1983 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Jackson. Dan and Rita lived in St. Louis 11 years, Jackson one year and Kelso 10 years before settling in Cape Girardeau. Dan graduated from Jackson High School in 1979. He received a bachelors in Marketing Management from Southeast Missouri State University in 1983 and a bachelors in information technology from Washington University in 1986. He started his work career at Walmart at age 15 as a greetings card organizer and worked his way up the ladder to management after college graduation. Then moved on to his IT education and career. He worked in the IT Department at Monsanto for 11 years and then in the Southeast Missouri State University IT Department from 1994 to 2025. Dan was a kind and gentle-hearted man. He was an avid runner for decades. He found joy in the outdoors, including fishing at Lake Alice Irene or tinkering on his land. He had a deep love for music, especially his sons' music, and took great pride in his sons' sports. Above all, he loved his wife, sons and his extended family wholeheartedly. He was raised in the Emanuel United Church of Christ in Jackson. He joined the Catholic Church on April 10, 1982 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. When the family lived in Kelso, he was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church. He later became a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in 2006 after moving to Cape Girardeau. Survivors include his wife, Rita Koeppel of Cape Girardeau; mother, Alice Koeppel of St. Louis; two sons, Drew Koeppel of St. Louis and Nick Koeppel of Kraków, Poland; a brother, Steve (Julie Fairchild) Koeppel of Columbia; a sister, Donna (John) Parke of Eureka; and numerous nieces and nephews. Dan was preceded in death by his father; a brother, Ron Koeppel; and a nephew, Aaron Parke. Visitation will be from 3:00 to 6:30 pm on Sunday, April 19, 2026 at Ford & Sons Mt. Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau, with a parish vigil service to begin at 6:30 pm, followed by a Rosary led by the family. Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 am Monday, April 20, 2026 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Jackson with the Rev. Joseph Stoverink officiating. Burial will be at Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson. Memorial contributions may be given to TOB Educators, www.tobeducators.com. Online condolences may be made at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.

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Dan Koeppel

December 2, 1960 - April 11, 2026