Maurice "Maury" Kappes

Maurice Glen Kappes, affectionately known as “Maury,” 66, of Kent, MN, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, April 28, 2019, at Sanford Medical Center, Fargo. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 2, 2019, with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. at Joseph Vertin and Sons Funeral Home, Breckenridge. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, May 3, 2019, with a visitation one hour prior to the mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Kent. Father Stan Wieser will officiate. Burial will be held at St. Thomas Cemetery, Kent.

Maury was born in Ada, MN, on January 31, 1953, to Clarence and Garnet (Sannes) Kappes. He grew up and attended school at Twin Valley, Battle Lake, Kent, and later, graduated from Breckenridge High School in 1971. He continued his education at Granite Falls Technical College (Minnesota West Community & Technical College) where he obtained a degree in tool and dye. Maury returned to rural Kent and began working for Kenny Neppl on their dairy farm. After this, he began working at Wil-Rich, Wahpeton, in the shipping and receiving department. Ultimately, this would be his lifelong career. On October 18, 1975, Maury was united in marriage to Maggie Zimbelman at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Kent. They made their home in Kent and were blessed with four children-Kirk, Jenny, Gwen, and Mark.

Maury was an avid gardener, who relished time in the outdoors. He loved meticulously tending to his garden and carefully spacing each seed precisely how the package instructions indicated. When he wasn’t in his garden, he was passionate about deer hunting, dove hunting, and fishing. In his later years, he enjoyed making home-made wine and processing and smoking meat. He loyally cheered on his favorite sports teams: The Minnesota Vikings and Twins, who disappointed him regularly. He was known for listening to his favorite “oldies” music, especially music from 1955-1975, and was an incredible story-teller. Maury had a kind heart and loved helping those around him and welcomed any time spent with his family and friends.

Maury is survived by his wife, Maggie Kappes; children, Kirk (Kari) Kappes and their children, Kayleigh (Jeremiah) Crum and Brayden; Jenny (Roger) Chaput and their son, Aiden; Gwen (Rory) Sobolik and their sons, Hudson, Lawson, and Trygg; and Mark (Jessica) Kappes and their daughter, Amelia; siblings, Karen (Roger) Kurpius, Barbara (Richard) Kline, Keith (LaDawn) Kappes, Wayne (Mary) Kappes, Craig (Sue) Kappes, Carolyn (Joel) Beyer, Allan (Cheryl) Kappes, Dean (Karen) Kappes, Nancy Heitkamp, Mary (Kevin) Winkels, Doreen (Mike) Klindt, Berdine (Doug) Holzbauer; and many nieces and nephews, some of which were as close to him as his own children.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Garnet Kappes; an infant brother, Gerald Kappes; brother-in-law, Scott Heitkamp; and his beloved dogs, Lana and Charlie.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Joseph Vertin and Sons Funeral Home, Breckenridge.