John "Johnny" Joseph Pupich, Jr.

John was born on August 30,1936 to John and Josephine Pupich in Anaconda, Mt. He was the first child of three, and the only son. His sister Mary Kay was born when John was five and his sister Karen when he was sixteen.

John went to St. Peter's Grade School and was an altar boy at the Church. He liked playing baseball, basketball, fishing, took piano lessons and was a Junior Member of the Croatian Fraternal Union. He attended and graduated from Anaconda Central High School. Math and Physics were his favorite subjects and he played clarinet in the pep band. John's grandfather, Joseph Kuffner helped him to get a job on the section crew for the railroad, and John's dad helped him get work at the Smelter as summer jobs.

John attended the Milwaukee School of Engineering, MSOE. He took courses in Physics and all the Math classes that were offered. The graduation rate was 30%. He graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering.

In 1961, John started his career at Fort Belvoir, Virginia as a GS-5 Engineer working in the Army Night Division Lab. John worked on miniature components, and received an award for his work on the Army's first generation of night-vision enabled rifle scope.

By 1968, John was promoted to supervise a team of physicists and engineers working on power and signals for all Second Generation Night Vision Systems. A major focus of this second generation were night vision goggles, particularly for helicopter pilots' use. His team received many patents and awards.

The next effort led by John was signal processing for thermal imaging systems. These thermal imaging systems were used in combat vehicles, helicopters and satellites. A significant patent was filed by John for a unique circuit used in these systems. John was assigned as the Army's representative to the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), which awards millions of dollars on research projects to this day. DARPA played a significant role in funding remotely piloted aircraft and the internet. John retired in 1988 as a GS-14 Supervisory Engineer.

After retiring he moved from Virginia to Las Vegas, NV. John used his knowledge of Math and Statistics to aid in handicapping sports and he started a Sports Advisory Service that advised those betting on football which team to wager on. In 1990 he wrote two articles that were published in the popular gaming magazine titled "Sports Betting Guide" and was named one of the top football handicappers in the country. John spent forty hours a week handicapping sports for many years.

John was genuinely interested in people, being loyal and helpful to his family and friends throughout the years. He had a quick smile and fun laugh. When you spoke to John, he looked at you and gave you his full attention. He was a great storyteller especially stories about fishing at the Big Hole River with his father, grandfather, and uncle. In later years enjoyed fishing with the younger family. He loved cooking and eating good food. His Grandmother's fried chicken and Croatian dinners were favorites.

At Christmas and in the summer John looked forward to spending time in Montana with his family and joining in activities going sapphire mining, taking a trip to Glacier Park and hiking, playing pinochle and Yahtzee. He was so much fun to be with. John was always interested in his nieces and nephews and grand niece and nephews lives especially their education. He was always a gentleman opening doors for others and thanking people when they did something for him. He was a kind big brother, and humble man. We were blessed to have John in our lives.

In 2023 John moved to Helena to be closer to family. He lived in a senior independent living community and later moved to an assisted living community.

John was preceded in death by his father, John in 1978 and his mother, Josephine in 2003, and uncle Frank in 1959.

He is survived by his sister Mary Kay Matule of Helena; sister Karen Hellman of Carson City, NV; niece Ann Gannon, (John) sons Nile and Callum; nephew Mike Matule (Michelle) daughter Kylie; niece Kathy Matule; nephew Jeremy Hellman; niece Rebecca Hellman; and numerous cousins.

Funeral Mass will be held at 2pm, Friday, July 31,2026 at St. Peter's Church, 407 Alder St, in Anaconda. Rite of Committal will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Anaconda, West 5th and Cottonwood St. John's life will be honored and celebrated with words of remembrance at the Kuffner Family Reunion that weekend.

The family request any memorial gifts be made in John's name to St. Peter's Health Center, 2475 E Broadway Street, Helena, MT 59601 or simply consider doing a kind deed for someone.