Obituaries

Richard John Karpa, late of Regina, Saskatchewan, passed peacefully into Jesus' arms on September 4, 2026 at the age of 91. He was born on January 5, 1935, on a farm near Kipling, Saskatchewan.

Richard was predeceased by his wife Marlene Marjorie Anne Karpa (March 15, 2026) and is survived by his son David (Janiese) Karpa of Ottawa, Ontario; his daughters Leanne Karpa of Regina, Saskatchewan and Diane Karpa (Brad Lobe) of Okotoks, Alberta; five grandchildren Levi, Jared, Alanna, Haley, and James; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Richard’s childhood was rooted in Kipling, Saskatchewan. He was raised on a farm South of Kipling by his single mother, Anne Karpa and his grandparents John and Mary Karpa. His grandparents arrived in Saskatchewan from Kiev, Ukraine, with Anne as a young teenager and they built a home on their farm where Richard enjoyed a very happy childhood where the countryside was his kindergarten. Following his grandfather’s death, he spent his school years living in Kipling being raised mostly by his grandmother with his mother working in Regina. During the winter months, Richard thoroughly enjoyed the outdoors on the frozen rink playing shinny. He was an accomplished player on his blades. He and Marlene’s dates were often spent skating together and enjoying a hot drink after at the Hub Café. Richard and Marlene made their marriage vows to each other in 1957 and their commitment to each other lasted 68 years. A few years after their wedding, Dad attended the University of Saskatchewan and obtained his degree in Mechanical Engineering. Together they traversed Western Canada as their family grew and eventually settled back in Regina in 1996. Richard was a skilled, hobby woodworker – a meticulous craftsman. He would travel to take his finished pieces to Calgary where a local, bespoke furniture store happily sold his work. Wherever Richard and Marlene chose to call home, he persevered to renovate, improve and fix to provide comfortable accommodation for his family. The gifted knowledge of his handiwork and skills passed on to his children is treasured, utilized and greatly appreciated. Throughout his life, Richard maintained and nurtured life-long relationships with friends and he was dedicated to meeting with them regularly over coffee. He cherished these times as they were always filled with raucous laughter which brought him great joy. He will be missed.

A Memorial Gathering will be held at Richard’s house on Saturday, October 10, 2026 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.