Mary Jane (Clark) Rupe
(November 15, 1875 - November 26, 1958)

Horton Headlight, Horton, Kansas May 21, 1953
Sent Students to School for 50 Years

When their grandson Darrell Haggard graduated from the Horton High School with the class of 1953 Wednesday night, it marked the end of 50 years direct connection with public schools for Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Rupe Sr., who had the responsibility for the education of nine of their own children and three of their grandchildren. Most of these 50 years the Rupes have sent their children to Horton city schools. Besides the three grandchildren Darrell and his sisters Donna Haggard Turner and Mary Etta Haggard Kreider who were taken into the Rupe home when they were quite young. Mr. and Mrs. Rupe have at various times had other of their 27 grandchildren living in their home and attending the Horton schools. One year Mrs. Rupe sent 7 grandchildren to school each morning. Mrs. Lucille Asquith, the Rupe's first child started to school in Missouri 50 years ago, before the family moved to Horton. Since that time, Mrs. Rupe has prepared breakfast each morning during the school year and sent one or more children off to school. In 50 years Mrs. Rupe has signed scores of report cards. Now at age 78 said she has signed her last one.

Besides the care of her family Mrs. Rupe has done all of her housework, including the washing and ironing until last November when she fell and broke her arm and ribs. While she has made a good recovery from these injuries, she has slowed her activities and has help with the heavier part of her housework.

Wesley Rupe and Mary Clark were married August 21, 1895, in Polo, Missouri and moved to Horton in 1904. Mr. Rupe now 79 and retired has been associated with the meat industry all his working years. He has worked in various markets in Horton besides having had his own market in the J.H. Fattig Grocery for a number of years. Keeping their large family well fed and clothed and sending them to school has proved a full time job for Mr. and Mrs. Rupe and they never had time for vacations until last spring when they accompanied their son and family, Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Rupe, Jr., on a trip to California and Oregon where they visited Mrs. Asquith in Dayton, Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Rupe said this was a delayed honeymoon trip and one which they thoroughly enjoyed.
Mrs. Rupe told a Headlight reporter that while the rearing of a large family has been an exciting occupation, she loves every one of the children she had in her care and would do the same thing all over again.
To show in some measure his appreciation to his grandmother for her loving care, Darrell presented her with an orchid corsage to wear to the commencement exercises Wednesday night.
Mr. and Mrs. Rupe's children include Mrs. Lucille Asquith, Mrs. Frankie Bechtold, Wesley Rupe, Jr., and Lee Rupe of Horton; Mrs. Georgia Brydon and Mrs. Norene Long of Kansas City, Missouri; Mrs. Elsie Broughton of San Francisco, California; Bill Rupe of Armona, California; and Mrs. Grace Torkelson who died in 1938. They also have 27 grandchildren.

Horton Headlight, Horton, Kansas November 27, 1958
MRS. RUPE (83) DIED WEDNESDAY
Mrs. Mary Jane Rupe, 83, one of Horton's beloved women who has made her home here for more than 50 years, died Wednesday, November 26, 1958, from a cerebral hemmorrhage at St. Mary's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri after a few days illness. Mrs. Rupe had gone to Kansas City the previous Sunday to visit a daughter and was stricken Sunday night.

She was born in Polo, Missouri on November 15, 1875, and attended school in Caldwell County, Missouri. She was married to Wesley T. Rupe on August 21, 1895, in Polo, Missouri and there they resided until August 1904, when they moved to Horton to make their home. Mr. Rupe first worked here for the Rock Island Railroad Shops and later went into business for himself as a grocer and operated a meat market for a number of years. Besides rearing her own family of 5 daughters and 3 sons, Mrs. Rupe reared three of her grandchildren. (The Haggard children, Darrell, Mary Etta Kreider and Donna Turner.) Nearly all of her adult life was devoted to children and after she became a grandmother she at one time or another made a home for nearly all of her 28 grandchildren. She was equally loved by children of her neighbors, many of whom had made a practice of stopping to see her each afternoon after school. After the death of her husband in 1954, Mrs. Rupe moved to an apartment at 929 First Avenue East where she lived alone, but in the same neighborhood with her daughter, Mrs. Carl Bechtold.
Mrs. Rupe was a member of the Methodist Church where she took an active part in the WSCS and circle of the church. She was a member of the Royal Neighbor's Lodge and the Just-A-Mere Club. Mr. and Mrs. Rupe celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary in August preceding his death in October 1954.

Survivors include her five daughters, Mrs. Frankie Bechtold of Horton, Mrs. Lucille Asquith, of Dayton, Oregon, Mrs. Elsie Broughton of Rivieria, California, Mrs. Georgia Brydon and Mrs. Norene Long of Kansas City, Missouri and three sons, Wesley T. Rupe of Horton, Lee Rupe of Hiawatha and William Rupe of Hanford, California. She is also survived by 28 grandchildren, 40 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren, two sisters, Mrs. Anna Irwin of Kansas City, Missouri and Mrs. Verdella Clark of Excelsior Springs, Missouri.

Funeral services were held Saturday morning at the Chaney Mortuary with Reverend Ira Nicklin of Oskaloosa officiating. He was assisted by Reverend Dwight Patton of the Horton Methodist Church. Mrs. Dwight Patton soloist sang "Rock of Ages" and "Safe in the Arms of Jesus" with accompanist Mrs. Albert Rake. Pallbearers were Thomas Kreider, Jim Rupe, Richard Rupe, Robert Turner, Bill Scott and Kenneth Knudson. Burial in the Horton Cemetery.