C. J. Kuper, 75, died on January 8, 2010 in Dalhart, TX. Services were held at 2:00 PM Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at the First Baptist Church. Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery.Officiants were Rev. Rodney Weatherly, pastor, First Baptist Church and Rev. Travis LaDuke, retired Baptist minister.Carl Julius Kuper was born in Dalhart in the old Loretta Hospital (later renamed Coon Memorial Hospital) on January 17, 1934 to Carl H. and Earline (Schmidt) Kuper.C.J. married Norva Jeanne Yoder on January 20, 1954 at the First Baptist Church in Dalhart.C.J. attended schools in Dalhart and attended Oklahoma A&M for a short time. He grew up on the family farm and was involved in farming all his life. At the age of 16, with his fathers help, he bought his first tractor and plow, and began custom farming for the neighbors. At the age of 17, he owned the Gulf Service Station. At the age of 18, he bought his first 160 acre piece of land, which over the next 50 years, grew into several thousand acres. With sadness in his heart, he sold it in 2007. C.J. was always at the forefront of farming practices, drilling his first irrigation well in 1952 and starting to irrigate with circle irrigation systems in the early 1960s. His other business interests included oil and gas, cattle and ranching.He always loved flying. At the age of 16, C.J. obtained a private pilots license. Later, he obtained his instrument and commercial ratings. At the age of 20, he joined the Civil Air Patrol. He later joined the Confederate Air Force and he remained an active member up to the time of his death. C.J. also loved to fish. He fished with friends and family all over North and South America.He served on the Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Board to try to get new small businesses to move to Dalhart. He and others were involved in the organization and development of the Dalhart Trailer Manufacturing Company at the Dalhart Airport back in the early 1960s, manufacturing 14 and 16 economical travel trailers. He and others organized and built Coronado Feedyard. CJ and others were involved with the building and placing of the Case Tractor business, on Highway 87 south in Dalhart. He served several terms on the Dalhart Co-Op Board, and served as president of the Board. and of the Dallam-Hartley County Gas Users Association. He was a director of the Farm Bureau and a founding director of the Hartley County Soil and Water Conservation District. C.J. also served as chairman of the Airport Board and was Hartley County Constable for 24 years without any paid salary. C.J. spent 12 years on the Dalhart School Board, and the last seven as President of the board. He served on the building committee when the new First Baptist Church was built. C.J. was the director of the Adult I Sunday School Department at First Baptist Church for over 12 years. He served as president of the Ambassadors Club and the Dalhart Country Club. He and his father helped build the back nine holes at the Dalhart Country Club Golf Course. He was a member of the Elks Lodge. C.J. is preceded in death by his parents and a grandson Carl Julius Kuper III.Survivors include his wife of 55 years Norva Jeanne Kuper of Dalhart, TX a daughter, Carla Stampfli and her husband Tom of Greenville, IL - a son, J. Kuper and his wife Cheryll of Dalhart, TX a daughter Jeanine Hood and her husband Tom of Amarillo, TX9 grandchildren - Chris Stampfli of Dalhart, TX - Catherine Stampfli and Jonathan Stampfli of Greenville, IL - Chelsey Kuper and Cassidy Kuper of Dallas, TX - Colton Kuper of Dalhart, TX - and Michelle Hood, Kristen Hood, and John Hood of Amarillo, TX.The family suggests memorials be to First Baptist Church of Dalhart, 1000 E. 16th, Dalhart, TX 79022 or Dalhart Senior Citizens Assn, 610 Denrock, Dalhart, TX 79022