Janet Ann Poole Rapp
Janet Ann Poole Rapp, child of God, passed from this life on Palm Sunday afternoon at Concordia Lutheran Ministries in Cabot. Her death was due to natural causes.
She was born at the home of her maternal grandmother on Butler's South Side on May 15, 1919. Her parents were Grover Arthur Poole and Irene Rachel McGee Poole.
Janet, the widow of Edmund W. Rapp, was a lifetime resident of Butler and Meridian. She and Edmund were married for 48 years.
Her entire life was devoted to husband, family, extended family and close friends. She felt called to be a stay-at-home wife and mother. She enjoyed hosting birthday and holiday parties. Her wedding and Christmas cookies, especially raisin-filled and sugar cookies, and nut breads, were renowned locally.
Some activities in which she participated were the Meridian Boy Scout Auxiliary where she helped with meals and fundraisers, Meals on Wheels and worship at the St. Mark's Lutheran Church. She was active in the King's Daughters Sunday school class, an office volunteer, enjoyed Women of the Church events, studied with various Bible studies, was a Helping-Hands funeral dinner volunteer and assisted with the Altar Guild. Janet worshipped at the Grace Lutheran Church in the past.
After the death of her husband, Janet commissioned local portrait artist Lisa (Foringer) Sten to complete a portrait of her and Edmund for each of her three sons. Each portrait reflects a different time period of their marriage. They were gratefully received.
Janet was a true fingers-in-the-earth gardener of flowers and vegetables. She was a devoted animal and pet lover, an especially talented cook, an avid reader, a committed crossword player in ink and an American patriot. She followed the political climate carefully.
She and her dear friends belonged to a card club together for decades. Other longtime friends continued to contact her to relive specific and humorous memories together. She especially enjoyed remembering her years of recognition as a talented young ballet and tap dancer.Her sons and friends felt edified and encouraged by her listening skills and words of comfort. All of the staff members at Concordia felt like family to her because of their tender care during her stay there.Janet was preceded in death by her husband, Edmund William Rapp; brother, Robert Shirley Poole; sisters, Estelle Basham and Orma Lennartz Hunt; daughter-in-law, Nancy Ansman Rapp; and two nephews.She is survived by three sons, Robert Edmund (Katherine) Rapp, William Joseph (Maxine) Rapp and David Grover (Sandra) Rapp, all living in Butler. There are nine grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren, four great-great grandchildren, and a number of nieces and nephews.<B>RAPP</B> — Friends of Janet Ann Poole Rapp, who passed away Sunday, April 1, 2012, will be received at the St. Marks Evangelical Lutheran Church, 201 W. Jefferson St., Butler, from 9 to 10:45 a.m. Thursday. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the church. The Rev. Alden Towberman, pastor, will officiate.Entombment will be at the Chapel of Devotion Mausoleum at Butler County Memorial Park.Arrangements are entrusted to <B>Geibel Funeral Home</B>, 201 E. Cunningham St., Butler.Information also is available at www.geibelfuneralhome.com.
