Gerald John Rupp II Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Gerald “Jerry” John Rupp II, 67, passed away peacefully at his home in Denver, Colorado, surrounded by his children, on Friday, January 1, 2021. It was a day filled with love after ringing in the New Year sipping champagne and watching fireworks. He is reunited with his father, Jerry; mother, Mae; two brothers Paul and Jeff, and many beloved family members and friends. Throughout his life, his greatest joys came when helping others and creating fun for his friends and family. Born in Havre de Grace, Maryland on December 17, 1953, Jerry was a traveler even before his birth, arriving into the world soon after his parents returned from Germany. Growing up in an Air Force family, traveling shaped Jerry’s love for adventure and his ability to make memories along the way. As a toddler in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Jerry became a big brother for the first time. While Salina, Kansas was only a short stay, Jerry could be found entertaining his brother John with clouds of baby powder filing the air of the nursery. As the young family of four moved halfway around the world to Guam, Jerry was by your side when you needed him – from playing on the beaches to comforting his Dad while building a handmade cross to memorialize baby brother Paul. He cherished taking care of others. Back in the states for elementary school, Jerry spent summers with his Grandparents in Simpson, PA where he loved being close to his cousins and taking special trips to the candy store. After relocating to Nebraska, Jerry gained additional travel buddies as he became a big brother again to Jeff and then Ann in Omaha. Whether he was spending his summers riding the Air Force bus to the NCO Club pool, or in the back of the MP Jeep with John after playing innocent jokes on Halloween, Jerry was always up for creating fun and making others laugh. Watching rocket launches over the Pacific, riding his bike along the pristine coastline to play in the ocean, and earning the nickname ‘Roadrunner’ as a freshman on the varsity cross country team, Jerry’s favorite move was to Lompoc / Santa Barbara, California. Yet, no matter where they were living, the family always drove to Scranton, PA (affectionately known as Rupp-town, USA) for Christmas, so they could celebrate the holiday with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. His family’s final move together landed Jerry in Dayton, Ohio, where he became the curly-headed home salon hero to his sister Ann, as he taught her how to straighten her crispy permed ringlets, and later graduated from Carroll High School in 1971. He studied Pre-Med and Environmental Science at Wright State University where he offered a girl a cough drop – a kindness that would later start his family. Jerry’s caring, fun-loving nature shone brightest once he became a father, first welcoming Michael into the world in 1983. Whether sitting together eating pretzel sticks while watching the bulldozers construct I-675, building science fair and boy scout projects, setting out on countless bike rides, or white water rafting, Jerry and Michael were an inseparable team and loved sharing adventures. A few years later, in 1986, Jerry welcomed curly-haired baby Lisa – the spitting image of her Dad. He proudly taught her how to swish a basketball from the geezer line, punt a soccer ball over the house, and always enjoyed serenading his Brown-Eyed Girl. Known for swooping them into his arms with his original sing-song, “So good, so good, so good to see you!” at the end of a work day, his heart was always filled with joy and love for his children. Playing together in the backyard, building a custom treehouse and sandbox, roasting s’mores, making the car dance by tapping the breaks to the beat of the music, Jerry loved entertaining his kids. Snowy evenings were spent sledding down hills on slicked saucers – or even a queen-size air mattress. Family vacations were spent traveling to Florida in the ‘living room’ conversion van, the plushest vehicle we’d ever known (though its so-called aftermarket “train horn” got mixed reviews). While they were in high school, Jerry’s house was the favorite gathering place for his kids and their friends as he loved hosting pizza parties, game nights, and backyard bonfires. His front door was always open, and one summer, his house became a second home to Talia and her younger siblings – a sanctuary when she needed it most. His dining room table was for family dinners, Dad jokes and long conversations about life. Though she always had a seat at the dinner table, Jerry surprised Talia when he converted his office into a bedroom with a handwritten note on the mirror saying ‘Welcome Home Talia,’ – a fatherly gesture that continues to make her smile. Over the last 20 years, Jerry became the dad she could always count on, teaching her love, kindness, and respect. Their bond continually grew as they made memories sharing Rupp family recipes, hiking at John Bryant State Park and Garden of the Gods, and participating in their first AF half marathon together; however, their most cherished memory was dressing as a T-bird and Pink Lady when they attended their first father/daughter sock-hop dance where they stole the show. From annual Woodstock reunion concerts with Michael to visit cousin Geary, a 21st birthday celebration in Las Vegas with Lisa (complete with a helicopter ride to the base of the Grand Canyon for a picnic), to walking the gold-speckled beaches with Talia in Coronado and San Diego singing California Girls, as his children grew, so did their adventures with Dad. Jerry adored his parents, memories of his childhood, maintaining the greenest yard in the neighborhood (and helping his elderly neighbors maintain theirs), 4th of July fireworks, grilling BBQ chicken and the most delicious steaks, skydiving, attending golf trips to Arizona and Cleveland Browns football games with his best friends of over 40 years. A humble guy through and through, many may not know that Jerry holds a record at the Excalibur casino in Las Vegas for one of the longest continuous winning rolls at a Craps table. For over 35 years, Jerry was a well-known, familiar face at Bockrath Flooring & Rugs, during which he earned a trip to China with one of his best friends Bruce, before retiring and moving to Colorado to be closer to his children, Michael (Jeanetta), Lisa, and Talia. In Denver, Jerry spent his days watching airplanes make contrails, dancing and singing along to 60s, 70s, and 80s hits on Pandora, taking walks along the golf course, attending Happy Hours at all the local restaurants, sporting a new wardrobe (where he enjoyed dancing with the Lulu employees – the clothes were just a bonus), summers in the pool, and proudly maintaining his tan sunbathing in his recliner in the winter. He always looked forward to taking trips to the mountains with Bruce, nightly dinners with his girls, and his fresh weekly haircut. He treated doctor visits as his comedy show and an excuse to get ice cream. He enjoyed rides in a friend’s Porsche 911 Turbo, ensuring his driver the cops would never catch them. Jerry discovered Snapchat filters, Trader Joes, a love for coffee shops, and a way into everyone’s heart – he never knew a stranger. It is the hope of his children that Jerry’s legacy continues through your stories, memories and photographs. He deeply loved his siblings, cousins, in-laws, nieces, nephews, and countless friends! Hold babies, help others, laugh, listen to music and let’s keep his memory alive – Mr. Funny Man!

Gerald John Rupp II

December 17, 1953 - January 1, 2021