Kipeni Suapaia

Kipeni Alexander Suapaia died unexpectedly at the age of 26 in Tucson, Arizona on April 28, 2025. A celebration of Life will be held jointly with his beloved Meema at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at Morgan United Methodist Church in Morgan. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service from 10 until 11 a.m. at the church in Morgan. A burial will be held in the Morgan City Cemetery at a later date.

Arrangements are with Nelson-Hillestad Funeral and Cremation Services of Redwood Falls and Morgan. E-mail condolences may be sent via www.nelson-hillestad.com.

Born on September 9, 1998 in St. Louis Park, Minnesota to Pam and Ben Suapaia, Kip joined the Army in 2018 where he attended Basic Training at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma and AIT at Fort Huachuca in Arizona.

After leaving the military service, Kip moved from Corona, California to Tucson, Arizona. He later wed Adia Marble on June 29, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. Soon after, they welcomed a beautiful daughter, Amelia Kida on November 14, 2019. A few years later, on March 9, 2022, they welcomed a handsome son, Akeakamai Kipeni.

As a husband and devoted father, Kipeni worked first as a correctional officer with the Arizona Department of Corrections and then worked his way through EMT training where he graduated as class valedictorian and as a Paramedic in 2023. He was most recently employed by AMR in Tucson as a paramedic and with Pima Community College as a paramedic instructor. Kip took great pride in his work and enjoyed helping others.

Kipeni was preceded in death by his grandparents, Dena Bickhardt, Paolo Suapaia and Sane Suapaia; brother, Christopher Suapaia; uncles and aunties, David Suapaia, Vendella Misaalefua and Tinou Ae.

Kip is survived by his children, Amelia and Akeakamai; wife, Adia Marble all of Tucson, AZ; parents, Pam Suapaia (Middleville, MI) and Ben Suapaia (Hemet, CA); siblings, Matatia Suapaia (Riverside, CA), Taiana Suapaia (Hemet, CA), Spencer Suapaia (Minneapolis, MN) and Sarah Suapaia (Minneapolis, MN); grandfather, Philip Bickhardt (Morgan, MN); aunts and uncles, Adam Bickhardt (Jennifer) of Morgan, Dorothy Ae (Simi Valley, CA), Usero Misaalefua (San Jose, CA), Raymond Su'a (Dale) of Simi Valley, CA, Victor Suapaia (Joyce) of Simi Valley, CA, Murphy Su'a (Nina) of Torrance, CA, Mavis Alo (Anza, CA), Clark Suapaia (Lofi) of Carson, CA, Sandy Suapaia (Barb) (Bloomington, MN) and many, many cousins.

Blessed be his memory.