Florence Rupel

Rupel, Florence M.

Florence Margaret Rupel (nee Marx) -- mother, grandmother, traveler, gardener, baker, quilter, golfer, bridge-player, and retired nurse-- died peacefully the morning of Thursday, April 2, 2015, in Madison, Wis. She was 91.

She was born on Jan. 9, 1924 in Roxbury, Wis., to Werner and Alvina (Bruenig) Marx. Florence graduated from Sauk City High School in 1942, and from St. Francis School of Nursing in Freeport, Ill., in 1947.

Florence worked as an RN at University of Wisconsin hospital in Madison, where she met John Rupel. They married on August 19, 1950 in St. Norbert's Catholic Church in Roxbury, and they made their home in Galveston, Texas and later Milwaukee as John completed medical school and his residency.

The couple settled in Marshfield in 1958, and raised their family in the parish and schools of Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church. Florence poured her talents into raising eight children, growing a large vegetable garden, baking bread, and sewing clothes, quilts and furnishings for the home. She returned to her nursing career at St. Joseph's hospital in the mid-1970s.

Florence also enjoyed an active social life as an avid golfer and bridge player. She and John were members of Westview (later Riveredge) Country Club and Dance Club. She loved to travel, and family weekends at the cottage in the summer and on the ski hill in the winter kept her young.

In 1987, John and Florence retired, making the Rupel cottage on Crystal Lake in Tomahawk, WI, their permanent year-round home. They enjoyed the company of many good friends, Friday night fish fries and sing-alongs at favorite supper clubs, visits from their kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews. Flo lived independently in Tomahawk for many years after she was widowed in 1990, travelling and wintering in Destin, Florida. In 2007 she moved to the Madison area.

She is survived by her children and their spouses: Ann, New York, NY; Bill (Joanne), Eau Claire, WI; Paul (Mary Rock), Marshfield; Maren (Jeff Trader), Pleasanton, CA; Karen (Greg Heiman), Houston, TX, Nancy (Steve Kelso), Madison, WI; Tom (Jeanne), Greenfield, WI; Jane ( Tom Wilkowske), Duluth, MN; grandchildren Briana Rupel and Susie Graves, LaCrosse, WI; Benny Rupel and Sophie Wilkowske, New York, NY; Sally Keller, Milwaukee, WI; Chris Rupel of Seattle, WA; Becky Rupel, Austin, TX; Molly Heiman and Matthew Trader, Houston, TX; Ellen Heiman, Nashville, TN; Mariah Kelso, John Rupel and Kathy Howe, Madison, WI; Christopher Trader, Paso Robles, CA; Isaac and Nina Wilkowske, Duluth MN.; Ben Rock, Marshfield, WI; great-grandchildren Henry Keller, Laila, Mya, and Cici Howe and Abbygail and Colton Graves; her brother Marcus Marx, Roxbury, WI; sisters Virginia (Charlie) Bongard, Sauk City, WI; Mary Walsh, Prairie du Sac, WI; Jean (Tom) Walsh, Ft. Worth, TX; sister-in-law Bernice Marx, Lodi, WI; brother-in-law Don Hegi, Sr., Petersburg, TX; an expanding family tree of many nieces and nephews, their children and grandchildren, and many loving friends and neighbors.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, John Walker Rupel, M.D., her parents, Werner and Alvina Marx, her sisters Helen Neumaier, Bernadine Treinen, and Eileen Exterovich, brother Vincent Marx, brothers-in-law Aaron "Bud" Neumaier, David Treinen, and Pat Walsh; and sisters-in-law Joan Hegi and Doris Marx.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Florence will take place on Thursday, April 9, 2015 at 11:00 AM at St. Mary Catholic Church, in Tomahawk. Fr. John Anderson will officiate. Family will receive friends at the Funeral Home on Wednesday, April 8 from 5:30PM until 8:00 PM and again on Thursday at the Church from 10:00 AM until the time of service at 11:00 AM. Burial will take place in Calvary Cemetery, Tomahawk.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Oak Park Place Memory Care and Agrace Hospice for their care and attention to Florence.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Marshfield Clinic, Attn: Development Department, 1000 N. Oak Avenue, Marshfield, WI 54449.

Arrangements are by Krueger Family Funeral Home in Tomahawk.