Gertrude Ann Rupnick, 90, of Sheboygan Wisconsin, passed away peacefully with her children
by her side on January 17, 2023 at Pinehaven Christian Home after a three year struggle with
dementia.
She was born on December 13, 1932 to Nicolas and Helen (Burkhart) Schnettler, in Sheboygan.
After graduating from St. Dominic Elementary and North High Schools she began working for
Wisconsin Public Service Corp. She attended Lakeshore Technical College and UW Sheboygan
during her career as an Administrative Assistant, and also worked for St. Nicholas Hospital,
Attorney Sylvia Wasserman, and The C.Reiss Coal Company as the Executive Administrative
Assistant where she retired in 1998. She continued as an Administrative Consultant until the
age of 82.
In 1955 she met William Rupnick and they married on May 12, 1956 at St. Dominic Church.
Gert and Bill went on to have 6 children: Ann Helene Fama (Peter), Ketchikan AK; Peggy Marie
Moore (Jeff), Durham NC; Jayne Elizabeth Applin (Craig) Palmer, AK; Gail Marie Dagan, White
Salmon, WA; Nora Sue Vrakas (Andy), Delafield, WI; and John William Rupnick (Rebecca
Tellen), Elkhart Lake, WI.
Gert also have celebrated the birth of 11 grandchildren: Jacob, Joey and Nick Fama; Samantha
and Nicole Moore; Katy and Danny Applin; Tim and Ben Vrakas; and William and Henry
Rupnick. She also has three great grandchildren: Grant and Perla Fama and Taurus Fama-
Bayles.
Gert loved music and performed viola at North High and in the Sheboygan Symphony before
being overwhelmed with children. She was a legacy member of the St Dominic Adult Classic
Choir and sang with them for over 50 years. She and Bill enjoyed golf, bowling and playing cards
with their bridge club friends for many years. During retirement Gert enjoyed visiting family,
world travel, playing bridge and Mahjong with friends as well as riding her bicycle and cross-
country skiing
She was involved in many volunteer activities associated with the church including the Christian
Woman’s Society, the Catholic Women’s Charity Club, Little Rock Scriptures, St. Dominic lector,
money counter, media minister and knitting for the Sharon Richardson Hospice.
She was an avid fan of the Wisconsin Badgers, Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks and the Green Bay
Packers which she enjoyed late in life alongside her dogs Molly, Finley and Riley.
She is survived by all of her children and grandchildren, sisters Dorothy George of Pinehaven
Christian Home and Catherine Reichert of Sturgeon Bay, sister-in-law Joan Schnettler of
Appleton, and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by
her parents, husband William, and siblings John, Nicholas, Robert, Jerome and Marion
Wagner.
A Catholic Mass of Burial will take place on Friday, January 20, 2023 at 1:30PM at St. Dominic
Catholic Church,2133 N. 22nd St. Sheboygan. Prior to mass, relatives and friends may visit with
the family on Friday, January 20, 2023 between 11:30AM and 1:30PM. Family and friends are
invited for a social gathering at the VFW Memorial Post 9156 at 552 South Evans Street in
Sheboygan from 3pm.
The family would like to express their gratitude for the loving care provided to Gert by the staff
of Pine Haven Christian Community and Sharon Richardson Hospice. In lieu of flowers,
memorial contributions may provided in Gert’s name to Sharon Richardson Hospice at
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