Obituary:
Henry Kuiper, father of three Bay Area baseball broadcasters, dies in Racine, Wis., at 94.
Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper will travel to Racine, Wis., on Saturday, to join family and friends to celebrate the life of his father, Henry J. Kuiper, who died Wednesday at 94.
Henry Kuiper was an auctioneer, a locally heralded fastpitch softball pitcher and, mostly, a farmer in Racine for 50 years. He also was a source of many great and funny stories that his sons have told on the air and privately over the years.
Glen Kuiper is the A’s television playbyplay man and Jeff Kuiper produces Giants broadcasts. They will fly to Racine as well to join their sister, Kathy, a retired hairdresser — “surrounded by men and boys her entire life,” said Duane, who broadcast Friday night’s game against Arizona. Glen also broadcast Friday’s A’s game against Houston.
Henry Kuiper was a dairy farmer for 25 years who turned to corn, soybeans, wheat and barley on land astride what now are two major highways in Racine. He put his children to work.
Duane often makes light of his farming abilities and said Henry would not let him run the tractor to till areas near the highways because he could not drive straight and the rows zigzagged, an embarrassment in the farming community.
As development encroached, Henry Kuiper was approached about allowing a fastfood restaurant to be built on a portion of his land at the convergence of Interstate 94 and Highway 20, now a significant exit for motorists seeking fuel and a bite to eat.
Henry said there was no way he was going to have a Burger King built on his beloved land. When the developer explained how much the Kuipers would get, Henry responded, “Hello, Burger King.”
Henry’s wife, Annette Hofman, died in 1992. Two years later he married Pauline Houtsinger, who survives him, along with Henry’s four children, five stepchildren and many grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.
Visitation, services and a private interment will be held Monday in Racine.