‘A shining light’: Dad dies after home explosion in north-central Kansas

CLAY COUNTY (KSNT) – A local man is dead after he suffered injuries sustained in a propane-fueled explosion in rural Clay County.

Clay County Sheriff Alan Benninga told 27 News that James Coupal, 78, is dead after he was injured in an explosion on Aug. 19. Coupal, a resident of Clay Center, was installing propane appliances at a structure in the 1400 block of Frontier Road that he planned to live in when the explosion occurred.

Benninga said that Coupal’s son was on the property at the time of the explosion and pulled his father out of the burning building, rendering aid and calling 911. No one was living in the structure at the time of the explosion and resulting fire. Coupal died of his injuries on Sept. 6.

Coupal was born in 1947 in Wichita, according to his obituary. He joined the Navy shortly after graduating from high school and later earned an electrical engineering degree at Kansas State University. He served aboard an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War and spent his career as a civil engineer at Fort Riley.

“Jim, as he was affectionately known, was a shining light and rock in the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing him. His journey on this earth was one marked by love and concern for his family, service to his country and an unwavering faith in God. His passing has left a void in the hearts of his family, friends, and many more whose lives were touched by him. We ask that you remember him not for the way his life ended, but for the way it was lived and for the profound impact it had on the lives of those who had the pleasure of knowing him.”
James Coupal obituary excerpt

Coupal is survived by his daughter, son and various nieces and nephews, according to his obituary. A graveside service is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19 at Lincoln Cemetery near Clay Center.

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