Marjorie Ruppenthal

Marjorie L. Ruppenthal of Bellaire, MI died Monday, January 22, 2018 at Munson Hospital in Traverse City, MI. She was 93 years old. Her loving husband of 70 years, Richard (Dick) Ruppenthal, and her daughter Sue Holtzmann were at her side when she died.

Marge was born on November 7, 1924 at the family home near Bellaire. She was the third of eight children born to Rolland and Sara (Berg) Lessard. She completed grade school in a one-room schoolhouse located near the family farm before attending high school in Bellaire. Marge graduated in 1943 as the class valedictorian. After high school she went to work at the Willow Run Bomber Plant building B-24 bombers for the Army Air Corps.

She enrolled in the Traverse City State Hospital School of Nursing in 1943, graduating as a registered nurse. Her nursing career included positions at Munson Hospital in Traverse City, a private-practice office in Flat Rock, MI, Olin Hospital at Michigan State College in Lansing, MI, and ending at War Memorial Hospital in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Marge’s nursing career was a source of great pride for her, and in many ways, defined how she viewed her life.

She was very active in the community. As a member of the Bellaire Community United Methodist Church she served as Treasurer, coordinated funeral luncheons, and counted money from the weekly offering. Some of the other ways in which she gave of her time were with the Bellaire Historical Society, the Friends of the Bellaire Library, and Grass River Natural Area.

Marge was an excellent cook in addition to being an avid gardener. She loved fishing and enjoyed picking the great variety of fruit grown in the area of Michigan near where she lived. The family’s pantry and freezer always contained food she had preserved in her kitchen. While she never viewed herself as an artist, examples of her quilting and sewing skills reveal a keen sense of color and style. She was a problem solver who delighted in coming up with solutions to household problems using everyday objects.

Marge is survived by her husband, Dick Ruppenthal, her daughters Sue (Bob) Holtzmann, and Mary Ruppenthal (husband) Shawn Newton. There will be a memorial service on Friday, April 6, 2018 at 11:00 AM. The service will be held at the Bellaire Community United Methodist Church, Bellaire, MI. Interment will be in Lakeview Cemetery, Bellaire. Arrangements are being handled by the Mortensen Funeral Home: www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com. The family asks that any memorial donations be made either to the Bellaire United Methodist Church, Po Box 235, Bellaire, MI 49615 or to the Grass River Natural Area, PO BOX 231, Bellaire, MI 49615, in Marge’s name.

May she rest in peace.