Betty Lou (Keller) Rupp, age 87 of Westbrook, passed away Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at the Westbrook Good Samaritan Care Center. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am Monday, February 20 at Grace Lutheran Church in Westbrook. Visitation is 4:00-7:00 pm Sunday at the Westbrook Funeral Home with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Monday. Burial is in Rose Hill Mennonite Cemetery, rural Westbrook. Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com. Stephens Funeral Service – Westbrook Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Betty Lou (Keller) Rupp was born June 24, 1929 on the family farm near Dovray, Minnesota. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Our Savior’s Lutheran in Dovray. Betty graduated from Westbrook High School and furthered her education at Mankato State University receiving a teaching degree. On June 24, 1950 (Betty’s birthday) she married Reuben E. Rupp at Our Savior’s Lutheran in Dovray. They were blessed with two children, Cindy Lee and David Reuben. They lived and farmed the family farm south of Westbrook for thirty-seven years until Reuben’s passing in 1997, at which time Betty moved to Westbrook. For many years, Betty enjoyed giving piano lessons, mentoring confirmation students, teaching Sunday School, and playing the church organ. She was a church organist for over fifty-five years. Betty was very active in her church and shared her time and talents accordingly. Betty also took great joy in owning her own “gift shop” called Betty’s Gift Shop for close to forty years, selling all types of gifts for all occasions and visiting with her customers. Betty loved to visit with anyone and everyone. In the fall of 2014, even with brother Terry’s loving help, Betty could no longer take care of herself and was admitted to the Good Samaritan Care Center in Westbrook where she remained until she quietly passed away on Wednesday morning, February 15, 2017. On Tuesday evening, February 14, she was surrounded by family.
Betty is survived by her brother Terrence Keller of Dovray; sister Eunice Christensen of Des Moines, IA; daughter Cindy (Steven) Rupp of Mankato; son David (Sydney) Rupp of Windom; grandchildren: Christopher, Adam (Ericha), Tristin (special friend Martin), Jason (Jenny), Lisa (Lee), and Nicole (Coby); great grandchildren: Trevor, Kammeron, Lincoln, Nevaeh, Peyton, Kaleah, Paizley, Adelynne, Audrey, and Cerise; and many other relatives and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents Holger and Gladys Keller, husband Reuben E. Rupp, brothers-in-law Ronald Christensen and Irwin Rupp, and sisters-in-law Anna (Alfred) Spielman and Irma (Clifford) Bruning. Blessed be her memory.
Betty did a lot of amazing things in her lifetime….teaching school, sewing clothes, giving piano lessons, owning and operating a gift shop, and most amazing, playing the organ for church for 55 years. I was proud to call her my sister. Love and prayers to all her family…..including children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren. Your legacy will live on, Betty!
Our very sincerely sympathy. Betty taught our children how to play piano–a wonderful talent to share! It was always fun to visit with Betty. Sending prayers for your family, Jim, Kris, Jared, and Audra Schmidt
I love this wonderful lady! She was always great with Christina & John, even patient enough to teach them piano! I loved stopping by her shop and getting gifts and chocolates. Prayers to the family! Big hugs, Betty, I miss you!
When I think of Betty, I will always think of her little gift shop. She loved dishes and Precious Moments as much as I did.When I think of Betty, I will always remember her beautiful smile and the coffee pot and cookie tray in her little shop. WhenI think of Betty , I will always remember she was the one person who was willing to “patch” those farm jeans of my husband. A task I never wanted to do. As I remember Betty, it will always be with a smile on my face and a warm fuzzy inside. She was just that kind of a person.
Betty is remembered as our music teacher at Shady Nook School, District 358, during the years her moher, Gladys Keller, taught there (1963-65). She would visit for about an hour one day a week, play piano so we could sing songs from our red book. I also remember her holding piano recitals for her piano students at the Rosehill Lutheran Chursh at Christmastime.
My sincere sympathy to Cindy and family and David and family. I have so many fun memories over the years of both your mother and father. What fun it was to visit at your farm and get in trouble eating the peas in the garden before your mother could pick them. We were fortunate to have your mother play the organ for our wedding and your father played the trumpet. They were such a fun one of a kind couple. Always ready to visit with one and always smiling. Hugs to all of you.
So sorry to hear of Betty’s passing. She was a neat lady. Was fun to get a call from her on your Birthday.
enjoyed spending time shopping in her Gift Shop and visiting with her. Always had a smile. She will be missed. Prayers for the family. Sue Cohrs
I have so many fond memories of Betty. She and Rueben were very good friends of my parents so we always had a lot to do with them. They were our neighbors, friends, church family and more. Betty did her best to teach me and my four siblings how to play piano. Although none of us really excel in that, it wasn’t for lack of trying on Betty’s part!! I’m so happy that she and Rueben and my parents are once again together in heaven. May God bless you all.
Ann (Rachuy) Tighe
I only knew Betty a short time . I meet her in the nursing home. The day my mother Evelyn moved in there Betty came up to her while we were having afternoon lunch and ask her name and welcomed her to the nursing home . I heard her play the piano at the afternoon church service. She asked my name and when I told her it was Cindy she talked about her daughter having the same name . I have know Dave for a long time . Just from the few times I visited with her I could tell she had a good life a was very content in her stage of life .