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Charles L. Ruppert II • 1925 - 2009 Charles was born on February 2, 1925, a son of Charles L and Florence (Long) Ruppert in Kermit, ND. He graduated from Crosby High School in 1943. On June 17, 1943, he was drafted into the US Army. He proudly served his country in Company E 105th 27th Division, serving overseas in Okinawa and Saipan. He received the Asiatic Pacific Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the Victory Medal before being honorably discharged on February 21, 1946. Following his discharge, Charles enrolled at Minot State Teacher's College, graduating in 1950. On August 14, 1949, he was united in marriage to Kay Frances Gibbs in Crosby, ND. They moved to Sanish, ND where Charlie began his teaching career. When the Garrison Dam was constructed, they moved to New Town, where Charlie taught and coached for over 40 years. Following retirement, Charlie and Kay moved to Minot, where he cared for his wife for over 17 years, after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Kay died December 29, 2008. Charles was a charter member of the ND High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1985. He coached at Sanish High School from 1951-1953, and at New Town from 1953-1984. Overall basketball coaching record: 415 wins against 132 losses in 20 years of varsity coaching. This included five trips to the State Class B Boy's Basketball Tournament making his last appearance at the 1969 tourney held in Minot. His record also included: third place in State Class B track in 1963; State Class B Golf Championship in 1974 and 1975; Runnerup in 1951, 1979, 1982. He also coached cross country, football, and baseball. He was a natural coach in all sports but his passion for golf
and his quest to find and develop a repeatable perfect swing
was well known. He received the National High School Athletic
Coaches Association Golf Coach of the Year Award for Region 6
in 1986. He was also inducted into the North Dakota Golf Association
Hall of Fame in 1989. Charles often said his best coaching job was the perfect order
of his children; boy, girl, boy, girl, boy, girl. Sons, Chuck
(Cindy) Ruppert, Bismarck, ND, Rick (Jeri Lynn) Ruppert, Palm
Desert, CA, and Bruce (Sharon) Ruppert, Minot; daughters, Liz
(Larry) Johnson, Granville, ND, Kim (Lance) Kjelshus, Souris,
ND, and Roxanne (Scott) Phipps, Hatton, ND; 16 grandchildren
and one great- grandchild on the way, Grandchildren He was reunited with his wife, Kay, his parents Charles and Florence, his sisters, Marian and Dorothy, his brother Lawrence, and infant grandson. Funeral Service: Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 10:30 am at Zion Lutheran Church, Minot Visitation: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 from 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot Burial: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot. Those wishing to share memories are invited to a gathering of family and friends at the Minot Country Club following the burial. Memorials are preferred to the Minot Junior Golf Association in care of Wee Links, Minot. Service Participants Music Honorary Bearers: All former students and athletes Active Bearers: Charles' grandchildren will serve as casket bearers Military Honors accorded by the Army National Guard and the Beck-Shervan American Legion Post 290, New Town, ND Immediately following the graveside service there will be lunch and fellowship at the Minot Country Club Clubhouse. The Ruppert family would like to thank everyone for the many
acts of kindness shown to them during this difficult time. Your
thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated and will never be
forgotten. May God bless the memory of Charles. To sign the online guest register
for Charles |
Charles
L. Ruppert II, 84, Minot, died Thursday, March 12, 2009 in his
home.