Obituaries & Guestbook

Joanne Ruplinger, 81, Kelly Lake, died peacefully with her daughters at her side at The Cottages Memory Care in Shawano on Saturday, October 22, 2022.  The daughter of Joe and Ester (Everard) Lotter was born and raised on Beaver Lake Farm.  She attended St. Anthony’s Catholic School and graduated from Oconto Falls High School in 1959.   After graduation she moved to Milwaukee where she met and married the love of her life Roger Ruplinger.  Together they had two daughters.  Mrs. Ruplinger held various positions throughout her career and retired from Saint Alphonsus Hospital in Port Washington as a billing specialist.  After retirement she and her husband retired to Kelly Lake to be closer to family.

Joanne worked hard her entire life while growing up on the farm to working outside the home while raising a family.  She loved working with her hands, whether it was needle work, stained class, painting, and other crafts.  She worked alongside her husband making yard crafts for years and many of those creations can still be seen in yards throughout the community.  She was also known as the Garden Lady of Kelly Lake, starting and selling thousands of perennial plants and establishing a rummage and plant selling tradition during Memorial weekend at Kelly Lake.  She sold hundreds of pints of berries to locals and summer residents for several years as well.  Joanne had a beautiful smile, was thoughtful and generous to all and was particularly known and will be remembered by all as being so kind.   She had a mischievous side as well, loved to have fun and laugh, and traveled extensively with her husband of 61 years.

Joanne is survived by her daughters Julie (Mark) Lutz, Green River, WY; Kathy (Brian) Blumenberg, Neenah; two grandsons Matt (girlfriend Becky) Blumenberg, Appleton; Dylan (fiancé Jessica) Blumenberg, Neenah; two brothers-in-law, Bill Angus, Oconto Falls; Ken Ruplinger, Milwaukee; several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Roger on February 6, 2022, two sisters, Marion (Norbert “Nubs”) Marks and Jean Angus, two brothers, Robert Lotter and infant brother; brother in-law, Harold (Clara) Ruplinger; two sisters-in-law, Barb Lotter and Diane Ruplinger.

Visitation will be held after 9:00 am Saturday, November 5, 2022 at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Oconto Falls until the time of services.  Mass of Christian Burial will take place 10:30am Saturday at the church with the Rev. Fr. Walter Stumpf officiating.  Burial will follow in Pine Hill Cemetery, Spruce.

The Ruplinger family wants to especially thank The Cottages of Shawano and Heartland Promedica Hospice staff who lovingly cared for our mother and supported her family during her illness.  The family respectfully requests if donations are desired, they be made to the Hospice provider of your choice.