Marion L. Rappe

RAPPE, Marion L. - In San Francisco on November 17, 2005. Dearly beloved husband of Susan Wheeler Rappe; loving father of Claudia and John Wheeler-Rappe of San Francisco, Sara Rappe of Ann Arbor, MI, Audrey Rappe of Ypsilanti, MI and Gene Rappe of Portland, OR; grandfather of Helen, Stephen, David Rappe and Isabel Rappe. Also survived by his sister Colleen Lance and her children Jeff and Shannon. Marion was born in Silverton, Oregon to Letha and Morris Rappe on September 9, 1928. He spent two years in the Navy, then got his undergraduate degree at the University of Oregon. He spent a year and a half studying in Bonn, Germany; received his Masters degree from the University of Indiana and his PhD from the University of California at Berkeley. He taught at the University of California, Riverside and spent a year in Vienna, Austria on a Fulbright Scholarship. After returning to Riverside for a year, he took a job as professor of German history at San Francisco State University where he taught for the next 30 years. He was a superb teacher, challenging his students to look for the 'big picture' and stressing the importance of critical thinking. He had a wonderful sense of irony, loved music of all kinds, was a voracious reader and was fascinated by the classical world. He spoke fluent German as well as some Polish, Norwegian, Swedish, Italian and Turkish. There will be a Celebration of his Life on the 18th of December in San Francisco. For further information call (415) 334-8036. HALSTED N. GRAY - CAREW & ENGLISH (415) 673-3000