John Rupp
d. August 31, 2023
John Rupp, 68, of Montevideo, passed away on the family farm in rural Granite Falls on Thursday, August 31, 2023, Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, September 6th at 10:30 am at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Montevideo. Visitation will be held Tuesday evening from 5 to 7 pm at the Wing-Bain Funeral Home in Granite Falls and will continue one hour prior to services at the church in Montevideo on Wednesday.
John David Rupp, of Montevideo, was born on October 11, 1954. He was the son of Glen and Irene (Swedzinski) Rupp of Granite Falls, Minnesota. John was baptized and confirmed at the St. Andrew Catholic Church in Granite Falls. John grew up on the Rupp family farm in Yellow Medicine County between Granite Falls and Clarkfield. He was the second child in a family of eleven children. There was always work to be done on the farm, but also plenty of fun and laughter, softball and kickball games and other games with his many siblings. He also loved to garden and grow flowers. He had the most beautiful flower beds growing up. He had a lifelong love of growing flowers and enjoying their beauty.
John attended school in Granite Falls and graduated from the Granite Falls High School in 1973. High school was where he found his love of drumming and music. He played drums in the high school band ensembles, including marching band, and during sports games. He was always recognized for twirling the crash cymbals. Although John had a life of varied jobs and experiences, he is most remembered for being an exceptional drummer!!
John also attended multiple classes at the Canby Vocational School. He attended classes for Food Service Management, and as he called it “Fert and Dirt” and “Feed and Seed” (Soil Management, Fertilizer Technology, Livestock Management, Feed and Seed Technology).
John played in multiple “bar bands” throughout his life. He played with “Wanted,” “Midnight River Band,” “Eldorado,” “Leather & Lace,” “Buckit,” “The Lonesome Travelers,” and “Marles and the Wranglers.” Many times he would sit in with other bands and drum along for a couple songs or play drums when his fellow musicians got together for a “jam” session. Music had been a big part of his life that he had enjoyed. One particular song always requested for him to play was “Wipeout,” which showcased his talent with a notable drum solo.
At one time, John played with three community bands. He played drums with the Montevideo Area Community Band, Milan Community Band, and briefly with the Swift County Concert Band. He loved to share his talent when the community band performed in summer events and parades in the area communities. While a parishioner at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Montevideo, he played with the other musicians and vocalists in the St. Joseph Musicians group for weekly mass, special occasions and funerals.
John had the amazing talent of being able to talk to almost anybody. He loved to visit and could strike up a conversation with anyone. He said he knew people everywhere, and it was true! He would go into a grocery store to grab a few things and be in there two hours talking to people he knew. He was a real people person.
John had an amazing memory to recall dates, places and events. He enjoyed hot showers and cold ice water.
Throughout John’s life, he seemed to focus on service to others. From jobs to community events, to family and friends, he centered on the service aspect, whether consciously or unconsciously. He would provide help if needed if he had the ability, and gift his time and talent to others, from decorating cakes to bringing his mother (and others) various flowers from his gardens throughout his life.
He had many opportunities, through music programs and truck driving, to travel and see many parts of the United States, such as Colorado, the North Shore of Minnesota, the Black Hills, the Washington, D.C. area, in addition to California, Michigan, Florida, and everywhere in between.
John would also regale us with stories of his traumatic experiences, such as rolling his car, hitting a deer with his motorcycle, and nearly falling from the top of a circus wagon being pulled by horses while playing drums on top of it during a parade! His most memorable tale happened while on a hike with friends to the top of Mount Scraggy in Colorado. As he would tell it, he fell behind on the hike, and saw a big black dog running through the woods. As the dog got closer, he realized it was a bear. “I screamed,” he said, “and I went up the hill and the bear went down.“
John’s favorite type of music was always Southern Rock, from bands such as Charlie Daniels, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers, and 38 Special. Other favorites include The Doobie Brothers, Heart, Sound Garden, The Eagles, Kansas, Rush, Electric Light Orchestra, Linda Ronstadt, and Steely Dan.
John passed away on Thursday, August 31, 2023, at the family farm following a ten month battle with cancer. His important message to all: “If you feel something is not right within your own body, or you are having pain, please see your doctor right away. I didn’t, and it cost me my life.”
John was preceded in death by his parents, Glen and Irene Rupp, grandparents Anton and Frances Swedzinski, and Herman and Maggie Rupp, niece Kate Nordaune, brother-in-law Douglas Miller and numerous aunts and uncles.
John is survived by his siblings and their spouses: Ronald (Loraine) Rupp of Big Lake, Gene (Deb) Rupp of Waconia, Kenneth (Sharon) Rupp of Granite Falls, Mary Miller of Plymouth, David (Kim) Rupp of Granite Falls, Debra (Doug) Blood of Montevideo, Gerald (Dawn) Rupp of Granite Falls, Terese (Chad) Coyhis of Aurora, Colorado, Steven (Danae) Rupp of Granite Falls, and Julene (Steve) Nordaune of Granite Falls. John is also survived by many nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, and numerous extended family and friends.
Blessed be his memory.
John David Rupp, of Montevideo, was born on October 11, 1954. He was the son of Glen and Irene (Swedzinski) Rupp of Granite Falls, Minnesota. John was baptized and confirmed at the St. Andrew Catholic Church in Granite Falls. John grew up on the Rupp family farm in Yellow Medicine County between Granite Falls and Clarkfield. He was the second child in a family of eleven children. There was always work to be done on the farm, but also plenty of fun and laughter, softball and kickball games and other games with his many siblings. He also loved to garden and grow flowers. He had the most beautiful flower beds growing up. He had a lifelong love of growing flowers and enjoying their beauty.
John attended school in Granite Falls and graduated from the Granite Falls High School in 1973. High school was where he found his love of drumming and music. He played drums in the high school band ensembles, including marching band, and during sports games. He was always recognized for twirling the crash cymbals. Although John had a life of varied jobs and experiences, he is most remembered for being an exceptional drummer!!
John also attended multiple classes at the Canby Vocational School. He attended classes for Food Service Management, and as he called it “Fert and Dirt” and “Feed and Seed” (Soil Management, Fertilizer Technology, Livestock Management, Feed and Seed Technology).
John played in multiple “bar bands” throughout his life. He played with “Wanted,” “Midnight River Band,” “Eldorado,” “Leather & Lace,” “Buckit,” “The Lonesome Travelers,” and “Marles and the Wranglers.” Many times he would sit in with other bands and drum along for a couple songs or play drums when his fellow musicians got together for a “jam” session. Music had been a big part of his life that he had enjoyed. One particular song always requested for him to play was “Wipeout,” which showcased his talent with a notable drum solo.
At one time, John played with three community bands. He played drums with the Montevideo Area Community Band, Milan Community Band, and briefly with the Swift County Concert Band. He loved to share his talent when the community band performed in summer events and parades in the area communities. While a parishioner at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Montevideo, he played with the other musicians and vocalists in the St. Joseph Musicians group for weekly mass, special occasions and funerals.
John had the amazing talent of being able to talk to almost anybody. He loved to visit and could strike up a conversation with anyone. He said he knew people everywhere, and it was true! He would go into a grocery store to grab a few things and be in there two hours talking to people he knew. He was a real people person.
John had an amazing memory to recall dates, places and events. He enjoyed hot showers and cold ice water.
Throughout John’s life, he seemed to focus on service to others. From jobs to community events, to family and friends, he centered on the service aspect, whether consciously or unconsciously. He would provide help if needed if he had the ability, and gift his time and talent to others, from decorating cakes to bringing his mother (and others) various flowers from his gardens throughout his life.
He had many opportunities, through music programs and truck driving, to travel and see many parts of the United States, such as Colorado, the North Shore of Minnesota, the Black Hills, the Washington, D.C. area, in addition to California, Michigan, Florida, and everywhere in between.
John would also regale us with stories of his traumatic experiences, such as rolling his car, hitting a deer with his motorcycle, and nearly falling from the top of a circus wagon being pulled by horses while playing drums on top of it during a parade! His most memorable tale happened while on a hike with friends to the top of Mount Scraggy in Colorado. As he would tell it, he fell behind on the hike, and saw a big black dog running through the woods. As the dog got closer, he realized it was a bear. “I screamed,” he said, “and I went up the hill and the bear went down.“
John’s favorite type of music was always Southern Rock, from bands such as Charlie Daniels, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers, and 38 Special. Other favorites include The Doobie Brothers, Heart, Sound Garden, The Eagles, Kansas, Rush, Electric Light Orchestra, Linda Ronstadt, and Steely Dan.
John passed away on Thursday, August 31, 2023, at the family farm following a ten month battle with cancer. His important message to all: “If you feel something is not right within your own body, or you are having pain, please see your doctor right away. I didn’t, and it cost me my life.”
John was preceded in death by his parents, Glen and Irene Rupp, grandparents Anton and Frances Swedzinski, and Herman and Maggie Rupp, niece Kate Nordaune, brother-in-law Douglas Miller and numerous aunts and uncles.
John is survived by his siblings and their spouses: Ronald (Loraine) Rupp of Big Lake, Gene (Deb) Rupp of Waconia, Kenneth (Sharon) Rupp of Granite Falls, Mary Miller of Plymouth, David (Kim) Rupp of Granite Falls, Debra (Doug) Blood of Montevideo, Gerald (Dawn) Rupp of Granite Falls, Terese (Chad) Coyhis of Aurora, Colorado, Steven (Danae) Rupp of Granite Falls, and Julene (Steve) Nordaune of Granite Falls. John is also survived by many nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, and numerous extended family and friends.
Blessed be his memory.
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