Audrey Ann Rupert

Audrey Ann (Heptig) Rupert was born on November 12, 1929. She left this world peacefully on November 3, 2016, at 86 years young. Audrey was the second of five children born to Anthony and Alvira (Noll) Heptig who lived in the farming community of Flush, Kansas. The family later moved to Sabetha, Kansas where Audrey graduated from Sabetha High School in 1948. She moved to Topeka and worked briefly for the State of Kansas. Audrey met and fell in love with US Army veteran, James McKay Rupert, who was attending Washburn University on the GI Bill. They married on September 7, 1949 and enjoyed a long and happy life together in Topeka, celebrating 57 years of marriage. As children headed for college, Audrey returned to work for Kansas Venture Capital and enjoyed a 20 year career as bookkeeper until her retirement in 1991. Audrey was an active member of Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church. She and James explored much of the country in retirement, regularly attending military and sibling reunions. Audrey often shared her gift of laughter, was a wonderful friend, a good cook, and an ardent fan of sports, especially Jayhawk basketball. She enjoyed a challenging game of bridge and had a flair for fashion and home decorating. After suffering strokes in 2012, she moved to Assisted Living at Shawnee Heartland in Shawnee, Kansas where she made many new friends and enjoyed frequent visits from daughters, Laurie and Patricia. She is survived by four children: Gregory Rupert of Seattle WA, Terri Rupert of Denver CO, Laurie Rupert and Craig VanSlyke of Leawood KS, and Patricia and Gene Eckenberg of Shawnee KS. Other survivors include her grandchildren, Aaron and Julia Toombs, Emily and Jack McCloud, Nicholas and Ashley Toombs, Dylan Rupert, Nathan Eckenberg, and six great-grandchildren; her beloved aunt, Anna Noll of Manhattan KS; and many nieces and nephews. A parish prayer service will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, 2801 SW Urish Road, Topeka KS 66614, where family will then greet friends until 7:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday at Most Pure Heart of Mary Church. Burial will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Memorial gifts are suggested to Let’s Help of Topeka (www.letshelpinc.org), Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care (www.kchospice.org), or Most Pure Heart of Mary Church, sent in care of the funeral home.

Audrey Ann Rupert

November 12, 1929 - November 3, 2016