Dr. Donald Harris Kropf passed away peacefully surrounded by family on September 25, 2023. For the past two and half years, Don lived in Lenexa, Kansas with his son, Bradley and Bradley’s wife, Jenny, where they cared for him faithfully.
Don was born on March 8, 1931 and grew up on a small dairy farm in Wisconsin. He participated in 4-H and Future Farmers of America. As an adult, he loved the pasture tending cattle, splitting wood, and for a while, he was quite the Atari Pacman expert. His children woke up many a Saturday morning to ba-ba-ba-ba of Pacman. Don taught his kids to do math in their heads (because one needs it for playing Skunk, dominoes or counting points in Bridge). Don read The Manhattan Mercury every day and watched the evening news. He subscribed to National Geographic, Readers’ Digest (it pays to improve your word power, after all…), and Guideposts. Don was also known for long, newsy letters.
Don was a faithful member of the First United Methodist Church in Manhattan, Kansas. He served as the 5th grade Sunday School teacher for many years, and stumped many 5th graders with his legendary crossword puzzles. During his later years, he was a part of the Saints and Sinners Sunday School class. Don also served the Stephens Ministry Program. He visited numerous people at Meadowlark, the hospital, and did emergency calls at the hospital. He also participated in one-on-one ministry through the program.
Of course, Don was always EARLY to church on Sunday morning (especially during his years as a Sunday School teacher). Even when he was done teaching Sunday school, Gwen and Don rarely came together to church because Gwen's policy was always to be late to church. Don enjoyed visiting with people before church and making them feel welcome—and it stressed him out to be late. Later, he rode the church bus and waited steadfastly at the end of his street so the bus would not have to come down the one-lane road to get him.
Don served in the United States Army from September 17, 1956 to July 18, 1958. Don used to say that his unit (the unit was full of those with Ph.D.s and Master’s degrees) excelled on the tests of intellect, but did not do so well on the tests of fitness! He served at Fort Sheridan, Illinois—just north of Chicago where he met Gwendolyn Ann Slover Kropf. They married on June 23, 1962 and were married 57 years. Gwen preceded him in death on December 5, 2019.
Don leaves behind three children: Gregory (Mary) Westphalia, Kansas, Bradley (Jenny), Lenexa, Kansas, and Martha (John), Charlotte, North Carolina. He also leaves behind 12 grandchildren: Heather, Anna, Melissa, Adam, Thomas, Lauren, Becky, Gwendolyn, Julia, Zachary, Morgan, and John. He also leaves one great grandchild, Jason Hall-Kropf. Don also leaves a sister, Arlene (Watertown, Wisconsin) and a sister-in-law Frances Slover Schiff (Plattsburg, NY). We all have happy memories of big family get-togethers.
Don was a Professor of Meat Science at Kansas State University from 1962-2006. Before that, he was briefly at Clemson University (1958-1962). He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin in 1956 in Biochemistry and Animal Husbandry. Don had a prestigious career as a professor of Meat Science at Kansas State University. He traveled all over the world including Iran in 1972 and the Soviet Union in 1991. He was president of the American Meat Science Association in 1986. He won the “Distinguished Service Award” from the Kansas Meat Processors Association in 2000. He was also the recipient of the R.C. Pollack Award from the American Meat Science Association for “Extraordinary and Lasting Contributions to the Livestock and Meat Industry.” Don also won the Intercollegiate Meat Judging 1995 “Meritorious Service Award” from the American Meat Science Association.
Don was also well-known for his messy office. Noted one K-Stater: “Dr. Kropf was always the greatest advocate for the students. A favorite memory of him is asking him for information/an article in his office. He would say ‘if it is not in this pile, it is in this pile. I will get it to you sometime today.’ I think he always had it to me within a half hour.”
The family will greet friends during a visitation from 2:00 until 3:00 p.m. Sunday October 22, 2023 at the First United Methodist Church, 612 Poyntz in Manhattan.
Funeral services will follow the visitation at 3:00 p.m. at the church on Sunday October 22, 2023. Interment will follow at the Carnahan Creek Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions are suggested to the First United Methodist Church or the Alzheimer's Association. Contributions may be sent in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502.