Family of the Year

Ken Duppong of Glen Ullin has been a member of the Knights of Columbus Bishop Ryan Council 4004 since 1972, including serving as Grand Knight of his local Council for five years. He has given much of his life in service to his hometown parish and the Knights, but he never dreamed he and his family would be recognized the world over by the Knights of Columbus. 

On Aug. 4, Ken and Mary Ann Duppong, along with their children, their sons and daughters in-law and grandchildren, were honored as the Knights of Columbus International Family of the Year during a ceremony in Washington D.C. as part of the 143rd Supreme Convention.

According to a press release from the Knights of Columbus, “From the very beginning, faith has been at the center of the Duppongs’ family life. From their daily family rosary, to enthroning the Sacred Heart of Jesus in their home, to organizing Corpus Christi celebrations near their family farm, God has always come first. This faith was passed down from Ken and his wife, Mary Ann, who have been married for 52 years, to their 6 children and 18 grandchildren. Today, the family remains close and puts their faith in action through service to their parish and community.”

It continues, “Ken and Mary Ann’s children—Jeff, Lisa, Sara, Michelle, Renae and Kalene—have been exemplars of the Catholic faith in their adult lives. Their son, Jeff, and sons-in-law, Kyle and Brad, are Knights of Columbus. Michelle and Renae served as FOCUS campus missionaries. Lisa volunteers in her children’s Christian homeschooling community, while Kalene has devoted herself to developing local Catholic Montessori programs for children. Sara volunteers at her parish, her children’s Catholic school, and with various community groups. Renae continues her evangelization work with people of all ages and also engages in healing ministry. The rest of the Duppong family, including spouses and grandchildren, are also active members of their schools, parishes and dioceses.” 

Of those six children, Michelle’s faith journey has been singled out. While serving as the Bismarck Diocese’s Adult Faith Formation director, Michelle was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 and passed away at the age of 31 on Christmas Day 2015. Her life of faith and service has been recognized by the Bismarck Diocese and Bishop David Kagan, who declared her a Servant of God for her life of holiness. Bishop Kagan opened her cause for canonization in November 2022.

“These are some of the ways Michelle taught us, especially during the later years of life,” said Ken Duppong while receiving the award from the Knights of Columbus. “To discern in prayer what would please God in her work and in all her decisions. To love others, she focused on the person in front of her, listening to them and consoling them. Michelle is a real hero in our family. She ran the race well. We look up to her for inspiration in our own lives and we hope she will touch yours as well. Her main goal in life was to bring souls to Jesus and her motto was ‘run to win.’”

“She was passionate about sharing her faith with whomever she encountered from her college days and beyond,” said Mary Ann Duppong. “From her hospital bed in her final year of life, she brought hope and trust to all of those around her, believing that God’s plan is perfect. She’s an example how a simple, faithful farm girl can do great things by reaching out to those around her with her genuine, caring heart.”

The honor of their family being recognized with the international award was not lost on Mary Ann and Ken’s children. Son Jeff Duppong is a Knight with his council in Fargo. 

“Our family appreciates the recognition and accepts it with humility,” Jeff Duppong told New Earth. “I believe most of us have no desire to be ‘put on a pedestal’ but are willing to be seen as an example to the world that anyone who strives earnestly to follow the tenets of our faith can achieve the same. We hope that others can be inspired by the example of our family, as we have been similarly inspired by the many extraordinary people that we’ve encountered in our lives.”

“My parents’ example in praying with us growing up showed that faithfulness in praying, even when the kids push back or it seems like it is far from peaceful prayer, is a way we can remain faithful,” said daughter Kalene of Fargo. “I have a deep sense that everything in life comes back to the surety our Catholic faith provides and my parents definitely passed on the firmness of having a foundation of faith in God. Having open conversations as a family about our faith and its application is a way we live this out as a family.”

According to the Knights of Columbus in their award presentation announcement, “The Duppongs have spent the last twenty years hosting hundreds of people at their family farm for faith-related social events and retreats, and more recently in sharing the story of their daughter Michelle’s life with people coming to visit her grave. Throughout their lives, members of the Duppong family have relied on their faith and thirsted for the truth and hope that the Church offers. Today, the family continues to share Michelle’s story of joy and trust in God, as well as their own wisdom, to help strengthen Catholic families in the modern world.”

This article was reprinted with permission from the Fargo Diocese New Earth magazine.