Edward Leo Krumpelmann (1909-1975)

Edward was an American Maryknoll Catholic priest, missionary, relief/medical aid/educator worker. He worked in Kongmoon (now Jiangmen), Guangdong Province, China and Hong Kong in the mid 20th century.

Together, with two other priests, he entered Hong Kong on October 15th 1941. He stayed in China throughout WWII.
One story told is that he gave a crazy 15 year old boy 1 grain and 1 grain of calomel - a purgative . Within 3/4 days the boy was cured. The delighted father told the everyone the story - the accidental cure was worth 100’s of hours of preaching.

In 1947 , suffering from tuberculosis he returned to the USA. In the USA he became Vice Rector at Mountain View (1919-58).

In 1958 he returned to Hong Kong. In 1959 Edward, with Peter Alphonsus Reilly, were asked by the bishop to found a new parish in Kwun Tong - government planned satellite industrial town. They also set up a clinic in the poor neighbourhood to provide emergency treatment to injured workers - the Maryknoll sisters then took over the clinic and moved it to Lily House.
A school for 24 primary children was also opened.
In 1962 Kwun Tong became St. John the Baptist Parish of Kwun Tong -subdivided into 3 parishes in 1967.

In Kai Liu, a 15 minute away, The Maryknoll Fathers negotiated with the government for more space. (Read ‘Later service in Hong Kong’)’
Edward and Peter were kept very busy launching various programmes.

From 1966 - 1975 he worked as Auxiliary Chaplain in the Servicemen’s Guides’ Association. He offered more than 1,000 Sunday Masses on the ships.

Early in 1975 he suffered from a blood clot in his left lung.and returned to the USA. He died on the 23rd June 1975. He was buried in the Maryknoll Cemetery in New York.

In November 1975 the Maryknoll Hong Kong Chronicle wrote** the fruits of Fr. Frumpelmann’s efforts before his death. 62 tons of medical supplies arrived on the USS Niagara Falls with the cooperation of Operation Hanclasp.**

Edward was active from 1941-1975. Over 20 years he worked tirelssly for the people of China.