Lee Rupp

1938 - 2025

Lee Rupp

March 3, 1938 - September 20, 2025

Lee Rupp passed away on September 20 at Edgewood Memory Care in Columbus, NE.

Memorial Services are 10:30 a.m. Friday at Peace Lutheran Church. Family will receive friends on Thursday evening from 5 to 7 p.m. at Peace Lutheran. Military Honors by The American Legion Hartman Post #84 Honor Guard will follow on Friday at the church.

Lee was born on March 3,1938 to Bertha (Schild) Rupp and Paul Rupp on the family farm northwest of Monroe. After finishing high school and junior college, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corp and served at Camp Pendleton, CA. While serving, he married the love of his life, Kay (Ditter) Rupp, in California. After his enlistment ended, Lee and Kay returned to Monroe to raise their family.

Lee returned to his studies and received a B.S. in Agriculture and a M.S. in Biology at UNL. After graduation, he began a career with Nebraska Game and Parks and was district fisheries supervisor. He left Game and Parks in 1982 when he was elected as a Senator to the Nebraska Legislature where he proudly served District 22. During his tenure, he chaired several committees including Government, Military and Veterans affairs and also worked part-time for LeDoiyt Land Co. of Omaha during this period. In 1989, Lee resigned from the Legislature to become Vice President and Director of Legislative Affairs for the University of Nebraska System. He resigned as VP in 2000 when Lee and Kay returned to live in Monroe.

He remained an avid hunter, and in 1978, was named Conservationist of the Year by the Nebraska Wildlife Federation. After he was elected to the Nebraska Legislature, he introduced the bill to allow Elk hunting in Nebraska, but joked many times about never being able to draw a permit to hunt them. Most recently, Lee was honored by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in 2021 when they dedicated the "Lee Rupp Wildlife Management Area" located south of Monroe.

Lee was a member of Peace Lutheran Church. He was a lifelong advocate for volunteering and serving his community. In his younger years, he was a volunteer fireman and EMT for the Monroe Fire Department, and a member of the Platte Co. Ag Society and Columbus Hospital Foundation, serving a term as chairman for each. For several years, he also belonged to Big Pals-Little Pals, Ducks Unlimited, the Chamber of Commerce, and served as a board member for Genoa Community Bank for many years. Never one to just sit around, Lee also found time to write an outdoor column for the Columbus Telegram for several years, held a private pilot's license and a realtor's license. In later life, he found tremendous joy sharing time with his family and his friends at OFC and with the "Picket Fence" coffee gang.

Those remaining to cherish his memory are wife, Kay; daughter, Lori (Bill) Hodtwalker; daughter, Lisa (Craig) Brestel; son, Mark (Laura) Rupp. Grandchildren, Kyle Brestel, Erin (Skyler) Svoboda, Colton Rupp, and Caitlyn Rupp. Great-grandchildren, McKenna Svoboda and Sage Svoboda.

Lee was preceded in death by his parents.

The family wishes to express profound thanks for the extraordinary care provided to Lee by Edgewood Memory Care and AseraCare Hospice.

McKown Funeral Home

2922 13th Street

Columbus, NE 68601