Wilbur "Bill" D. Rupel

Wilbur (Bill) D. Rupel, 87, died peacefully Thursday, April 29 at the Visiting Nurse and Hospice Home in Fort Wayne, after a long and brave struggle with cancer. He was born in Fort Wayne on November 13, 1933 to Kenneth L. Rupel and Irene Rupel Ladig. He graduated from Central High School in 1951. He served in the U. S. Army from 1956 to 1958 at Ft. Bliss, TX in the missile range at White Sands Proving Ground. Also at Ft. Niagara, NY where he was on the U.S. Army Pistol Competition Team as a Sharpshooter. Married March 4, 1961, his wife of 60 years, Judy Heemsoth Rupel survives. He had two sons by a previous marriage, Rick (Deb) Rupel of Fort Wayne and Kenneth (Jacqui Carroll) Rupel of Zanesville, IN. He and Judy have a daughter, Tracey (Chester) Muldoon of Allen County; followed by son, David Rupel of Palm Springs, CA. They have five grandchildren, Andy Rupel, Roxanne Rupel, Wesley Rupel, Allison (Weston) Geyer, and Laura (fiancé, Jake Neuhaus) Relue; and three great grandchildren. Also surviving are his brothers, Paul Rupel and John (Jo) Rupel, both of Tucson, AZ. He was preceded in death by his parents; and grandparents, Edward & Myrtle Opliger and Isaac & Lola Rupel. He was a loving husband, father & grandfather who will be dearly missed, as he was so important to our happiness and wellbeing. He was a lover of the outdoors including hunting and fishing and excelled at target shooting, winning many competitions. In 2012 at the age of 79 years old he bagged a 14-point “buck of a lifetime”. In his career, he was fortunate to work for two men he admired. Jack Summers of Broadview Lumber gave him his start in kitchen design & sales and he continued his career as a manufacturer’s representative as a CKD for Stephen Mouser of Mouser Custom Cabinetry of Elizabethtown, KY. He also was employed by Grabill Cabinets of Grabill, IN as a kitchen designer and salesman locally in the Fort Wayne area. He loved traveling the U.S. with his children, grandchildren. He and Judy enjoyed many years traveling the country particularly the southwest and south, sometimes by RV including many winter months spent with their son Dave in Palm Springs, CA. A Celebration of Life Open House will be held at Southwest Conservation Club, 5703 Bluffton Road on Sunday, May 16, 2021 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, with an American Legion Color Guard Ceremony at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home at 5910 Homestead Rd., Fort Wayne, IN 46814. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.klaehnfahlmeltonfunerals.com for the Rupel family.