ANOTHER CO. PIONEER HAS PASSED ON

Mrs. Vital Coupal, a former Washington county resident, passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. B. A. Hagemann, last Sunday at the age of 80 years. She had suffered with heart trouble for some time and was bedfast for about a month before the end came.

A short service was held at the Hagemann home on Tuesday before the body was brought here for the funeral service at 9:30 at St. Borgia Catholic church. She was laid to rest in the Blair cemetery by the side of her husband, whose death occurred in Omaha Aug. 20, 1922.

Margaret Croissant was born in Canada, and came to this county in 1875, settling in what was then the Vacoma, now known as the Spiker, neighborhood. There she met and married Vital Coupal, the wedding taking place in this city in 1878. They settled on a farm in that same neighborhood, where seven children were born to them, three of whom died before they left the farm 17 years ago, Ernestine in January of 1917, Masie in November of 1929 and Agnes in infancy.

She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Hagemann and Mrs. E. M. Lee of Omaha, also a son, Louis of Omaha, and Vital, Jr., of California. Also twelve grandchildren will mourn the death of a loving and generous grandmother. She was the last of her immediate family, the Croissant children.

While Mrs. Coupal was not a territorial pioneer, those coming here before the territory was made a state, she was yet a pioneer in reality, settling in a new country in 1876 and helped as a pioneer wife and mother to develop the raw prairie until it “blossomed as a rose”.

Her memory will long remain green with the many friends of Washington county who knew her and loved her in her prime of life.

#2-15 Sept., 1932 - The Enterprise Monday’s Omaha papers contained notice of the death of Mrs. Margaret Coupal, aged 80, of 2424 St., Omaha, a former Herman resident. She is survived by two sons, Louis of Omaha and Vital of California, two daughters, Mrs. Edward Hegemann and Mrs. Edward Lee, both of Omaha and twelve grandchildren.

#3 September 15, 1932 - The Pilot-Tribune - Marguerite Coupal

RITES HELD HERE FOR MRS. COUPAL

PIONEER RESIDENT DIED AT HOME IN OMAHA SUNDAY AFTER LONG ILLNESS

Mrs. Marguerite Coupal, widow of the late Vital Coupal, early Washington county pioneer, and herself one of the first homesteaders in the Spiker vicinity in Grant township, died Sunday morning, September 11th, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Bernard Hegemann, 2424 B street, Omaha, at the age of 80. Mrs. Coupal had been in frail health for several years and for several months had suffered from injuries received in a fall at the Hegemann home.

Mrs. Coupal, who before her marriage was Miss Marguerite Poissant, was born at St. Michel, Canada, and came to Washington County in 1876 or 1877. On January 17th, 1878, she was married to Mr. Coupal, who had come here with A. Lazure, also a native of Canada, in 1869, after spending two years in the gold field region around Quebec. During 1876 and 1877, Mr. Coupal hauled freight between Cheyenne and Denver, returning here to be married.

Abandoning the dangerous life in the west, Mr. Coupal and his bride homesteaded in Grant township, remaining on the farm until they moved to Omaha in 1909. Mr. Coupal died August 20th, 1922.

The last member of a family of six, Mrs. Coupal is survived by Mrs. Hegemann. and another daughter, Mrs. Edward Lee of Omaha, and by two sons, Louis of Omaha and Vital of California. Twelve grandchildren also survive. Three daughters preceded their mother in death, Ernestine having died in January, 1917, Marie in November, 1929, and. Agnes in infancy.

Funeral services were held Tuesday morning at 8:15 at the residence in Omaha and at 9:30 services were held at St. Francis Borgia Catholic church, of which Mrs. Coupal was one of the early members. Rev. William O'Sullivan officiated and interment was made in the Blair cemetery, where her husband was buried.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

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