The bells were ringing at All Saints Catholic Church as pallbearers loaded the flag-draped casket of Louis Joseph “Zeke” Trupo into the back of the hearse as his body was taken to its final resting place. It seemed only appropriate that the skies, casually spitting rain most of the morning, stopped moments before the procession to the Bridgeport Cemetery began.

 

Before going to the cemetery, which was led by the Bridgeport Police Department’s motorcycle division, the procession went through the town he called home. The 97-year-old Trupo was taken along Route 50 West to Lodgeville Road where the procession passed over the bridge on that roadway named in his honor.

 

After getting back on Johnson Avenue, the funeral procession then headed toward the school district. There, hundreds of students from Johnson Elementary and Bridgeport Middle School stood silently as a person many considered a community treasure and the nation deemed a military hero passed by.

 

Trupo passed away Thursday at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg surrounded by his family. He was born June 19, 1919 in Clarksburg, WV the son of the late Leonard and Domenica “Minnie” (Michele) Trupo and is survived by his wife Flora Ada (Pinion) Trupo, who he was married to for 70 years.

 

Family and friends gathered at the church on Main Street this morning to pay their final respects. Dozens of vehicles took part in the procession to the cemetery.

 

There was a reason many paid respects at the viewing Sunday and today’s funeral service. Trupo was a beloved family figure and also a pillar in his church where he was an usher for more than half a century, but he had a long history of public service.

 

Trupo was a founding member and president of the Harrison County Emergency Squad for two terms and a volunteer member for more than 12 years along with others in the arena. He was also elected as a Justice of the Peace and was eventually elected Harrison County Magistrate, where he served for more than 14 years.

 

The Bridgeport resident also had ties of service to his final place of residence – Bridgeport. He was a former Bridgeport City Council members and served on numerous community boards from the Kiwanis to several military organizations.

 

It was during his time serving his country during World War II where Trupo’s legend extended well beyond Harrison County and West Virginia. According to his obituary, the former Marine “was wounded on the Island of Tinian by a sniper’s bullet with wounds over his heart and right leg. A prayer missal and spoon he carried in his pocket and his dog tags that hung around his neck deflected the bullet, that otherwise would have struck his heart.”

 

The incident led to his story being part of “Ripley’s Believe It or Not.” He received the first of two Purple Hearts for this incident with the second coming for injuries received in the battle of Iowa Jima.

 

Individuals wishing to read the full obituary can do so by clicking HERE to be taken the Ford Funeral Home Web site. The Main Street business handled the service.