Cecelia V. Rupp

Cecelia (Cele) Rupp was born on April 18, 1931 in Hospers, IA to Simon and Anastasia (Schiller) Stoll. She was the familial rock amongst her siblings, including Margaret (Robinet), John, Mary Ann (Wellik), Joe, Charles, Sister Dorothy, Rosie (Falsetto), Agnes (Bodenhammer), Delores (Kuttner), and Irene. After leaving Hospers, she worked as a waitress and seamstress in Sheldon, IA, eventually meeting her soul mate, Francis Rupp, at a dance in Sioux City. On February 23, 1957, they were married in Hospers, settled into farming west of Cherokee, and were avid members of the Maryhill community. Married for 33 years, Cele and Francis raised four children, Gayle, Judy, Dean, and Craig. Throughout her life, Cele maintained a simple and sweet demeanor that won the hearts of many. Her signature gift of joy, shown through her constant smiling and laughter will never be forgotten. Possessing a true servant's heart, Cele faithfully cared for family and friends through cooking, baking, sewing, and crafting. All her grandchildren donned award-winning, meticulously handcrafted, Halloween costumes throughout their childhood. Meanwhile, her skills at quilting left a legacy and numerous heirlooms. They say when an old person dies, a library is lost; indeed the case with her. With her signature phrase, "Don't sweat the small stuff!" Cele had the wisdom to know problems are nothing but temporary. Cele was clever knowing her mark on this world is best made through children. She spent the last 16 years working with Mrs. Brown's fourth grade class at MMC, tutoring children in mathematics. Hundreds of children and adults are one notch better at addition, subtraction, and multiplication given her relentless pursuit for perfection with flash cards. Her volunteering earned her the Character Counts award at MMC. Cele was known amongst her friends and family as having an uncanny skill at bingo, door prizes, bowling, and getting out of speeding tickets. If a bingo game breaks out or a door prize is up for grabs, pitting your luck against hers is futile. Never assume you can out-bowl her, for she was hitting a score of 220 at the age of 75. To all the law enforcement personnel in northwest Iowa, she really didn't have to go to the bathroom. Surviving members of her immediate family include Gayle of Sioux City, Judy (Joe) Knight of Mount Vernon, Dean of Cherokee, and Craig (Denise) of Ames. Her five grandchildren she cherished were Justin (Sheila) Knight of Lincoln, NE, Jared Knight of Iowa City, Janelle Knight of Ames, Logan Rupp of Kansas City, and Taylor Rupp of Iowa City. She was preceded in death by her husband, Francis, who she is currently playing cards with and still teaching how to dance. The family requests that Memorials be made to the MMC Library Fund.

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