Glen “Kap” Erwin Kapitzke, age 80, died peacefully in his sleep during the early morning hours of January 14, 2023, at Holy Rosary Hospital in Miles City, Montana.
Glen was born in New London, Wisconsin on January 8th, 1943, to Harry Alvin and Ella Regel Kapitzke. The youngest of five children born to the couple, and is survived by his sister Karen Kapitzke Peters of Fremont, Wisconsin, his wife, his children, and his grandchildren.
In 1960 Glen graduated at the age of 17 from Weyauwega Union High School located in his home town of Weyauwega, Wisconsin. Once he turned 18 he enlisted in the United States Air Force, was trained as an Computer Technician, and was transferred to the 902nd Radar Squadron, Miles City, Montana where he fell in love with Montana fishing, hunting, high country backpacking, and his future wife Shirley Eva Baber Kapitzke. While stationed in Miles City, he Graduated from Custer County Junior College with his Associate of Arts Degree in June of 1965, was honorably discharged from the Air Force in October, and enlisted in the United States Army in December.
In 1966 Glen married Shirley; who would be his wife for 56 years. After completing his two-year Army enlistment in Okinawa, Japan in 1967, he was honorably discharged to Glasgow, Montana, where Shirley was working as a teacher; he was awarded an emergency teaching certificate to teach Math and Seventh Grade and earned his Commercial Helicopter License and Fixed Wing Pilots License. The following year they moved to Missoula, Montana, where he enrolled in the University of Montana Wildlife Biology program, receiving his Bachelors of Science Degree in 1970.
After working at Borden Chemical, Inc. where Glen earned his second-class Boiler Engineering License, he completed Officer Candidate School [OCS] for the United States Coast Guard in 1973 and was assigned to the Ninth CG District Marine Environmental Protection [MEP], Cleveland, Ohio where both their daughter Sheila Ella Kapitzke and their son Greg Eugene Kapitzke were born. He went on to become a Marine Safety Officer, Marine Inspector [Hull & Engineering], and marine Accident Investigator with the Coast Guard. He was honorably discharged from the Coast Guard in 1984, and they returned to Miles City to continue raising their children.
Always active in the church after his Wisconsin-Synod Lutheran parochial school upbringing, Glen served many positions in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The most recent of which were serving as a delegate to the Montana District’s Board of Directors for several years and as a longstanding member in Trinity Lutheran Church and Classical School’s Choir and congregation where memorial donations can be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church Memorial Fund in Glen’s name. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and kindness.
Glen became the Disaster and Emergency Coordinator for Custer County and entered the Montana Army National Guard Reserve, but in 1985 on his way to professional training was involved in a single-vehicle accident that rendered him paralyzed from the waist down. He did not allow his paraplegia to define him; however, he continued to sharpen his Expert-level firearm marksmanship skills and in 1986 decided to compete and won Gold in the first Big Sky State Games and continued to win the Gold, as a multi-sport shooter with both rifles and pistols, often metaling in more than one event a year, until Glen was honored as the first Big Sky State Games Male Athlete of the Year in 1994.
In retirement Glen lived his dream of being a brilliant gunsmith and a remarkable reloader and bullet caster who used his own alloyed casts and reloads successfully in competition. Trailblazing through the able-bodied shooting competitions with the International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association [IHMSA], the National Rifle Association [NRA] National Silhouette High Power Championships and NRA National Silhouette Smallbore Championships in Raton, New Mexico, and all 30 of the Forsyth Rifle and Pistol Club’s annual long-range Quigley matches; he consistently placed and often won shooting competitions, mainstreaming by example that handicaps can be triumphantly overcome.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 26, 2023 at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City with family receiving friends from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held on Friday, January 27, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Miles City. Interment will follow with full Military Honors at Eastern Montana Veteran’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial may be made in Glen’s name to Trinity Lutheran Church Miles City. To leave condolences for the family, please visit www.stevensonandsons.com.
Service Schedule
Family to Receive Friends
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Thursday January 26, 2023
Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home
1717 Main St.
Miles City, Montana 59301
Funeral Service
11:00 a.m.
Friday January 27, 2023
Trinity Lutheran Church
221 S. Center Ave
Miles City, Montana 59301
Interment with Full Military Honors
Immediately Following the Funeral Service
Friday January 27, 2023
Eastern Montana State Veteran's Cemetery
Miles City, Montana 59301
Service Schedule
Family to Receive Friends
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Thursday January 26, 2023
Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home
1717 Main St.
Miles City, Montana 59301
Funeral Service
11:00 a.m.
Friday January 27, 2023
Trinity Lutheran Church
221 S. Center Ave
Miles City, Montana 59301
Interment with Full Military Honors
Immediately Following the Funeral Service
Friday January 27, 2023
Eastern Montana State Veteran's Cemetery
Miles City, Montana 59301
Share
Al Homme says
Good bye Glen
Carol Nelson says
Oh dear Shirley & Family,
So very sorry to see that Glen has passed. Keep the memories close as he will always be with you.
Carol & Walter Nelson
Martha Crandall says
My sympathy
Denise Harvey says
My thoughts and prayers are with you all!
Dale & Tribby says
Shirley and Family – We are so sorry for your loss. I enjoyed our visits at Red Rock. Hopefully the other side of the rainbow has lots of animals and targets for Glen to shoot!
Dale & Ann Tribby says
Shirley and Family – We are so sorry for your loss. I enjoyed our visits at Red Rock. Hopefully the other side of the rainbow has lots of animals and targets for Glen to shoot!
Al Kajin says
Be not sad he died- be glad he lived!
I am sorry that he died but will always remember his humor within the Forsyth Rifle Club.
He and I always had a good natured disagreement concerning yards and meters!
Rick Newby says
Wow my friend. Rest now and fly with the Angels. Will be missed.
Esther Nelson says
Oh Glen I will miss your singing !! What a voice you had but someday I’ll hear you again. Now you and Ern can set now and visit .God bless you !!
Jim and Hazel Parker says
Shirley Greg Sheila so sorry to hear Glenn passed away. Lots of prayers and hugs
Pat Derenburger says
Shirley and family we are sorry Glen has passed away. Glen was very helpful over the years with questions that I had with reloading, casting, gunsmithing, and competitive shooting. It was an honor to be a friend with a person who was a National Champion in lever action shooting. From Pat, Tara, Colton, and Christy Derenburger
Mary Watkins says
Glen’s sense of humor and hat will be missed at the matches. A wealth of knowledge and generosity to everyone he met.
My condolences to his family. RIP Glen.
Julie and Butch Krutzfeldt says
Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire family.
Brian & Peggy Certain says
Shirley & family, So sorry for your loss, you are in our prayers.
Carrie "Beach" Etherington says
Shirley,
I was super sad to see this. You are in my thoughts.
Linda L Simonsen says
Shirley and family, I’m so sorry to hear of Glen’s passing. Praying for peace and comfort for all of you.
Ruth Chandler Ferris and Dan Ferris says
Shirley and Family,
May your memories bring you comfort. There are no words that I can say.
Laurie Janssen Claypool says
Shirley and family,
Our deepest sympathy to you all in the loss of Glen!
Our thoughts and prayers to you all!
Laurie and Duane Claypool
Kim Feil and De Nice Curry says
Shirley we are sorry for your loss of Glen. You are in our prayers.
Jess Bardon says
Sorry to hear about Glens passing
His joking around will be missed
Rest in peace Glen
Jess Bardon
Gayle Kapitzke says
Shirley and family, you are in my thoughts and prayers. It was a delight to meet you and Glen when Russ and I were in New Mexico. It’s a good memory.
Kathy Strub says
Ohhhh Shirley, sending much love and hugs. Knowing God has you in his arms during this difficult time. Glen was a great guy. May your memories help comfort you and the kids.
Laura Monasmith says
Shirley: Words are never enough. Our prayers are with you all.
Beth Ann Wiedeman says
Shirly and family… sending prayers to help comfort you during this time of grief.
Deb Schmeling says
Dear Shirley and kids,
So sorry to hear about Glen. May God wrap His loving arms around each one of you with comfort, love and peace. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Lawrence Torstenbo says
Shirley, I am sorry for your loss! Glen was a joy to talk about guns and he helped me out with many projects. My prayers are with you and the family and I know that God,s blessings will be with you all!
Butch and Linda clendenen says
Glen will be missed.he always shot in our group ,it won’t be the same without him,we had fun,told stories and jokes.he will always be glenbob,our squad was great for coming up with nicknames.our thoughts and prayers are with the family
Charlie & Kathy Beauchot says
Shirley and Family…
We are sorry for your loss. Glenn was a good friend and we spent many hours over the years visiting about guns and life in general.
Out thoughts are with you now. We hope you find comfort in your memories.
Owen J. Golay Pleasantville , Iowa says
As a long time Quigley shooter, I always looked for him when we were there. A rolling landmark that told us we were in the right place. That big furry top hat was a fashion statement that simply couldn’t be ignored. Condolences to his family and thanks for sharing him with us all.
KAREN AND RAY PELLANT says
Ray and I are so sorry for your loss.
Sue Jens says
Shirley, Sheila, & Greg I’m so sorry to hear of Glen’s passing. He was quite the character, I can still hear his laugh. He was always so nice to visit with & always so positive & BUSY!!! Always on the go, wish I could be there to give you a hug, but know you are in my thoughts & prayers. Sue & Scott
Gary L. Westfall, Curtice, Ohio. says
My sincere condolences to Glen’s family & his many friends about his passing. I first met Glen during the 2016 Quigley match at Forsyth. As I had never participated in anything like this, I had many questions. Glen, among many others, was very gracious, & answered my questions. A few years later, I wasn’t sure about something in my reloading procedure, so, I called him at home. He told me to explain how I was loading, from the start. As I explained each step, he either told me I was doing it correctly, or explained to me what I needed to do correctly. I learned a lot from that conversation. I last saw him at Red Rock Sporting store on Monday morning after the match in June 2021. He always had a smile. May he rest in peace.
Harriet Blumhorst Graf says
Remember the words of Jesus in John 14:27, ‘peace I leave with you, not as the world gives, give I to you…’. Oh, the comfort of knowing Glen is now home in heaven, walking and singing with all the saints who have gone before. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
Melody Haynes says
Glen will be very missed in this community. Our family will miss him so much. He has been such a big part of our life since our sons played football together in grades 5-12, with 2 state A Football Championships. Our Sincere Sympathy to Glen’s entire family.
Jeanette Carson Maher says
Shirley my friend
I was saddened to hear of Glen’s passing. I remember the good times as your neighbor. Glen would help mow our lawns with the riding mower. I loved hearing of his national championship as a silhouette marksman. There was nothing he couldn’t do.
My sincerest symapthy to you and your family.
Mike Schmitz says
My condolences Shirley.
Dave Gullo says
Always had a smile and a top hat! You will be missed.
Donald Klinko says
Glenn was a tolerant friend, a skilled shooter, and a stalwart American patriot. This world is the poorer for his passing. Condolences, Shirley.
Anita Vincenti, Sales Manager Goex Industries LLC (Goex black powder) says
Our deepest sympathies to the Kapitzke family.
Keith tomat 530 876 6590 says
I did not know him but yet (i did ,living) in gods good earth