A heartbroken community gathered at the Warner Civic Centre on Tuesday to remember the four southern Alberta men killed in a plane crash last month.
Bill Kaupp, 64, his son Clint Kaupp, 28, Tim Mueller, 28, and Ron McKenzie, 67, were all found dead in a mountainous area near the Utah/Colorado state line on Feb. 23.
The four men were en route to Albuquerque, New Mexico from Grand Junction, Colorado, before the plane dropped off the radar about 30 minutes after takeoff.
Search crews followed a signal from an emergency transmitter and discovered the wreckage a day later in a rutted area, with canyons covered with snow.
“We’ll miss them,” Warner resident Lyle Mutzger told Global News.
Approximately 2,000 people showed up to say goodbye, according to funeral staff. That’s about five times the population of Warner, where everyone knows everyone.
“I think the community was devastated by this,” said Len Kolpak, a friend of the victims.
“To have four well-known people from here just die like that is just horrible.”
Bill Kaupp was a farmer in New Dayton, with his son Clint following in his footsteps.
Mueller was a farmer as well and a member of the Warner volunteer fire department.
McKenize also farmed in the area while taking part in a number of local clubs.
“It’s going to be a little while before it’s all taken care of that everyone here would be able to rest and understand what really happened,” said George Krysak, who knew the men.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash and told Global News a preliminary report is expected by the end of the week.
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