It is with great sadness that the family announces the passing of AlDee “Big Al” Konopnicki.
AlDee passed away on November 7, 2018 at Box Butte General Hospital.
He was born on October 9, 1944 in Afton, WY to Albert and Marguerite (Gardner)
Konopnicki. He lived in Sunset, Utah for many of his years of his younger life. That’s where
he started playing ball (what he loved) as a young man at Utah State.
In 1973 AlDee hired on with Burlington Northern Railroad in Edgemont, SD. On March 1, 1980
he married Stephanie Madsen in Edgemont. They moved to Alliance in 1981. He continued
work with the railroad until his retirement in 2005 after 33 years of service. Working for
the Railroad is where he met many people whom he called his friends. He would have done
anything for any of them.
He always had such a love for basketball that it led him to help with the basketball programs
in Alliance. AlDee was an assistant to Coach Wallace with boys’ basketball in Alliance Middle
School, and Alliance High School. He also was head coach for Community Ed.
He had the heart of a lion, and had an unimaginable love for his kids and grand-kids. With
whom he helped his daughter’s raise not only as their Papa, but as a dad.
He left behind his wife with whom he loved dearly, Stephanie, his children, Michael Konopnicki
of Boulder, CO, Melissa (Jeffrey) Goss, Alexa (Joe) Minich, Vanessa (Jeffery) Nepper, Jessica
(Phillip) Caudell and Nicholas Konopnicki all of Alliance. He is also survived by 13 grand-
children, an expected great-grandchild, and his sister, LeaRea Belnap of Buffalo, NY.
parents, his daughter, Tangela, and a grandson, Darren preceded him in death.
Memorial services will be Thursday, November 15 at 2:00 p.m. at the Bates-Gould Chapel.
Inurnment will be in the Alliance Cemetery. Memorials may be sent in care of the family to
703 Big Horn Avenue, Alliance for a later memorial designation.
Online condolences may be left at www.batesgould.com.