Mary I Ruppert 1911-2011

RUPPERT GANNON KEOUGH

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 4/19/2012 at 17:37:00

Sioux City Journal
5 July 2011

SIOUX CITY -- Mary I. Ruppert, 99, of Sioux City passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 1, 2011 at Holy Spirit Retirement Center in Sioux City.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Sioux City. Following a luncheon, burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Maurice, Iowa. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with a rosary at 4 p.m. by the Catholic Daughters of America and a vigil at 7 p.m., at Larkin Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home. All are invited to pray and share memories of her life.

Mary was born to William and Ann (Gannon) Keough of Maurice, on Aug. 21, 1911. She graduated from Maurice High School and attended Iowa State College in Cedar Falls, where she obtained her teacher certificate. She subsequently returned to the Maurice area, where she taught in a one-room schoolhouse.

Mary married Edward Ruppert of Currie, Minn., on Nov. 23, 1931. The couple owned and operated Westside Hardware as well as Ruppert Plumbing and Heating in Currie until 1964, when they sold the business and resided in Le Mars, Iowa, before moving to Iowa City in 1967. Mary worked at the Coralville (Iowa) State Bank. Edward continued working in plumbing and heating until they retired and moved to Sioux City in 1977.

Along with her husband, Mary served as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and at Mercy Medical Center for more than 20 years. She also volunteered as a reading coach in area grade schools, including St. Michael's Catholic Grade School in Leeds. Mary had many interests such as bowling, playing cards (especially Bridge), reading and spending time with friends. Most of all, she was an avid Minnesota Twins fan.

She attended St. Michael's Catholic Church in Sioux City and held a special devotion to Our Blessed Mother. In her earlier years, Mary was an active member of the Catholic Daughters.

Mary is survived by her daughters, Colleen Mayock of Seattle, Wash., Ginger (Jim) Klein of Mission Viejo, Calif., and Kathleen Hall of Sioux City; sons, Mark Ruppert of Rochester, Minn., and Bill (Dottie) Ruppert of Guerneville, Calif.; six grandchildren, Eric Klein, Rebecca Marcus, Jonathon Ruppert, Khayam Mayock, Melanie Mayock and Joshua Hall; four great-grandchildren; as well as many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her brother, Glenn Keough; and her sister, Helen Keough.