Alice Rupiper, age 86, of Roselle, IA, died Saturday, August 7, 2021 at Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids, IA. She died peacefully surrounded by her husband Wayne, her 11 children and other family members.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, August 13 at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Roselle. The Celebrant will be Fr. Steve Brodersen. Music will be provided by the Holy Angels Choir, with accompanist Joan Schettler. Burial will follow in the Holy Angels Cemetery in Roselle. A visitation will be held on Thursday from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. with a Christian Wake Service being held at 7 p.m. at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll. A viewing without the family present will be held on Friday at the church from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. Arrangements are under the guidance of Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll, and online condolences may be left for Alice’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Alice was born on October 22, 1934 on her parent’s farm near Carroll, IA. Alice was the daughter of Lawrence and Mary (Baumhover) Ocken. She grew up in Templeton, IA and
graduated from Sacred Heart School in 1952. On June 18, 1953 she was united in marriage to Wayne Rupiper at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Templeton. The couple made their home in Roselle, IA where they raised their 11 children. Alice was a devoted homemaker who loved sewing, cooking and baking especially her Yum-Yum cookies that were enjoyed by all that came through the back door.
Her strong faith was very important to her. She was a member of the Holy Angels Parish, Holy Angels Altar Society, and the Catholic Daughters of America for many years. She enjoyed dressing up the church altar with beautiful flowers and singing with her many friends on the choir. Working with her friends at the Carroll Livestock Sales was always a highlight of her week. She also volunteered at the Halbur-Templeton-Roselle School Library and the blood bank. Together, for 68 years, Wayne and Alice enjoyed attending their children’s and grandchildren’s activities, ballroom dancing, bowling, and traveling with friends while making new friends along the way. More than anything, the joy of their life was having their home filled with family.
Her last year was spent at Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids where she felt that the loving caregivers were her family.
Left to cherish her memories are her husband Wayne, children: Sherry (Steve) Wittrock of Omaha, NE, Barb (Denny) Schultes of Dedham, IA, Randy (Kathy) Rupiper of Ankeny, IA, Keith (Roxane) Rupiper of Roselle, IA, Michelle (Brian) Tigges of Johnston, IA, Dave (Carol) Rupiper of Johnston, IA, Doug (Pam) Rupiper of Carroll, IA, Kent (Tami) Rupiper of Ankeny, IA, Mark (Kim) Rupiper of Phoenix, AZ, Rhonda (Rich) Gottschalk of Omaha, NE and Scott (Mickie) Rupiper of West Des Moines, IA; 29 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren with one due in December; 4 step great-grandchildren; her siblings Janice (Harlan) Wolterman of Bellevue, NE; Robert (Lynn) Ocken of Cedar Rapids IA; brother-in-law Keith (Diane) Irlbeck of Northfield, MN; sister-in-law Nancy Ocken of DeWitt, IA; brother-in-law and sister-in-law LeRoy and Pat Rupiper of Carroll, IA; as well as many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter in infancy Mary Frances; siblings Joleen Irlbeck, Leonette Irlbeck, Ron Ocken and Merle Ocken; childhood siblings Larry Ocken and Lavonne Ocken; and brothers-in-law Leo Schoeppner and Vernon Irlbeck; father-in-law and mother-in-law Louis and Carrie Rupiper.