Walter Arthur Nupen

Walter was born in Tracy, Minnesota on January 21, 1928 to Hazel and Arthur Nupen. He graduated high school in South Dakota and entered the army in 1946. After his time in the army, he spent two years at the University of Missouri before transferring to Dakota Wesleyan in South Dakota. His plans to pursue a degree in ministry were modified by his teacher George McGovern’s (the former U.S. Senator of South Dakota) counseling into a strong desire to teach U.S. history. After he received his degree in 1952, he entered into the teaching profession in Watertown, South Dakota. Four years later he transferred to a secondary school in Portland, Oregon where he also earned his Master’s Degree from the University of Oregon. Walter was an outstanding teacher and devoted to his students. In fact, he was voted teacher of the year in 1968 with that year’s yearbook dedicated to him. Walter met his wife Suzanne who was also a teacher and were married on September 23, 1973. He retired from teaching after 35 years in 1987.

Walter spent most of the next several decades of his life traveling with his wife Suzanne. Their love of history took them all over the world. They often visited such exotic places as Norway, Africa, China and Russia. They were true adventurists who loved exploring new places and meeting new friends.

Walter is survived by his wife of 49 years, Suzanne Nupen. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister and brother in law Marjorie L. Gere and William. He is also survived by his niece Caryl McKenzie her husband Jim and his grand nephew Andrew McKenzie in Nebraska and many cousins in the US, Norway, Canada and South Africa, as well as cousins on his wife’s side of the family in Ohio, California and the East Coast.

The graveside service will be held in Columbus, Ohio and Walter will be laid to rest at Green Lawn Cemetery in Suzanne‘s family plot on Friday, July 25, 2023 at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to The Oregon Food Bank at https://www.oregonfoodbank.org/ . Services have been entrusted with the Schoedinger Northwest chapel.