Ann's Obituary

 

Ann Patricia Rupp

May 13, 1946 - July 20, 2023

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am; there you also may be." John 14:1-3

 

Ann was most definitely the heart of her home. She always had the warmest smile, the most welcoming demeanor. Ann wanted her family and friends to feel embraced and comfortable; loved and fed. Nourished body and soul. She had a very generous spirit. She loved giving gifts even on a day (like Mother's Day) when the day was meant to celebrate her. That's how thoughtful she was. It's impossible to imagine there was a person who knew Ann that didn't like/love her.

Ann was a beautiful & happy baby.

Ann was born Monday, May 13, 1946, the day after Mother's Day. She was a wonderful gift to the Niblo family: Dad/Fred, Mom/Patricia, her sister, Moira and brother, Denny. Ann and Moira were "roommates" from Day 1 even though Moira was ten years older than Ann. According to Moira, "She had this cute, devilish, and quite humorous streak in her personality, which stayed with her all her life. When Bud [Moira's husband] and I had a family of our own and lived in the San Fernando Valley, Ann loved to come and spend weekends with us under the pretext that we needed a babysitter. Of course, that was not the case, but she was a delightful and very young aunt to our kids."

First Communion

Ann's older brother Denny shared this story about what a great sport she was growing up: "Countless times in the summer months when she was 6 - 8 years old, I would give her some serious big brother encouragement to be my opponent in softball games in our backyard. She'd pitch, I'd bat. Then we switched roles for the next "inning". Although I went undefeated in all those games, never once did she complain. We just enjoyed some great, if atypical, big brother/kid sister times during those backyard contests."

Ann and "Uncle Frank" (orange & white tabby). She absolutely loved cats!

In December 1968 at the age of 22, Ann met Joe Rupp, a widower with three children: Joe (3), Sandra (6) and Terrie (7). They were engaged within a month and married on May 17, 1969 [Ann's father, Fred Niblo insisted they couldn't marry before they'd known each other at least six months.] Ann and her "instant family" resided in Canoga Park. In March 1971 Ann gave birth to Michael and the Rupp's became a family of six. They were very active in their Catholic Parish; St. Joseph the Worker and the children all attended the elementary school there. Ann and Joe were both very sociable and entertained at their home often. Vacations were modest but a lot of fun in the early years of their married life. These included camping in Inyo-Kern, renting a beach house in Ventura with some of their neighborhood friends on Kelvin Avenue, as well as on a road trip to Colorado in their 1970 Chevrolet station wagon.

Ann was a stay-at-home mom for several years before she went back to work at Volt Employment Services, then Memorex in sales and eventually Media Recovery, where she worked with Joe as a sales rep. Ann became a grandmother much earlier than she (or Joe) anticipated when their eldest daughter, Terrie had twins: Katie/Katherine and Jamie/James. At the age of 34 Ann didn't see herself as "Grandma" so she chose "Nanny", which is what Katie and Jamie called her; as well as every grandchild and great-grandchild that followed: Terrie's youngest: Allison; Sandra's children: Annie and Josh; Joe's children: Alex, Ryan and John and Michael's children: Nina, Ethan, Terren and Rhett; Great-grand's: Annie's son, Ryder; Nina's daughter, Georgia and the newest addition to the family: Josh's daughter, Kirra.

In 1984 Ann and Joe made the move from the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, to Balboa Island in south Orange County. This had been a dream of theirs since they'd taken the family on summer vacations to "The Island" for many years. They purchased an original 1930's era beach cottage with an apartment over the garage as a rental unit. The 900 square foot home with two bedrooms and one bathroom accommodated Joe and Ann and their teenaged sons, Joe and Michael, who still lived at home. Life on Balboa Island was in many ways idyllic. A relaxed lifestyle that suited Ann and Joe. They hosted countless birthday parties, college & NFL football broadcasts, 4th of July bashes, home base for Halloween, Christmas Boat Parade parties and lots of family get togethers over the twenty-four years they lived on the island.

In 2008 Ann and Joe moved from Balboa Island to Laguna Niguel. And from a "petite" house into a two-story 2,400 square foot home on a large lot with a pool/jacuzzi and room for Joe's greenhouses, which housed his extensive orchid collection. Ann had always wanted to live in a 2-story house and their home on Mira Vista made that desire a reality. Even though they had been empty nesters for quite some time, the larger home and yard was a blessing for their three dogs: Hana and Abby (German Shepherds and Barney (a Lhasa Apso/Shitzu mix) and their cat, Bentley ~ as well as a later addition, Lenny. During the time they resided on Mira Vista, Ann went back to work at Adler Weiner, a Chicago based market-research company with an office in Irvine. Ann loved working at Adler Weiner and her boss/friend, Kristen is a significant reason that Ann thrived there. Besides, as a true extrovert, Ann was in her element as a host and later as a night manager. Ann worked at Adler Weiner right up to her diagnosis on July 4, 2022, with GBM (Glioblastoma/Stage 4 brain cancer).

Ann was much beloved by Joe, her children and their spouses, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, friends and neighbors prior to her diagnosis. However, the way Ann handled this frightening and daunting battle with aggressive brain cancer was truly heroic. She was courageous, hopeful and simply amazing as she underwent brain surgery and then radiation and chemotherapy. Ann endured much physical suffering and many challenges the final twelve months of her life, but according to Joe she was always the perfect patient ~ she never complained. She was always "fine". God graciously answered many prayers for Ann and Joe during this past year. Two of the best "answered prayers" were named: Alma and Fany. Alma and Fany faithfully, lovingly and capably cared for Ann for most of her illness. Even though there were many prayers for a miraculous healing, Ann passed from this life into eternity on Thursday afternoon, July 20, 2023. In the weeks leading up to her death and on the day of her passing, she was surrounded by many family members and friends. Ann is survived by an amazing family who dearly miss their Ann/Mom/Nanny/G-Nanny:

Ann's loving husband: Joe

Ann's siblings and their spouses: Moira and Denny (Sue)

Ann's children and their spouses: Terrie, Cassandra (Gene), Joseph (Esther) and Michael (Roge)

Ann's grandchildren and their spouses/significant others: Katherine (Laura), James (Eric), Allison (David), Annie, Josh (Kristen), Alex, Ryan, John, Nina, Ethan, Terren and Rhett

Ann's great grandchildren: Ryder, Georgia and Kirra

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." Revelation 21:4

Invitation to Ann's funeral service and reception

Ann Rupp's funeral mass will be held at noon on Saturday, August 19, 2023. The service will be at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. Address: 27231 Aliso Viejo Parkway, Aliso Viejo, CA  92656. A reception will immediately follow at Michael and Roge's home in Laguna Niguel (directions will be provided at Corpus Christi).

In order to plan for guests at the reception please RSVP to Terrie @ tgrago@gmail.com. Thank you so much! 😊