Obituary of Esther Bartel Rupp

Esther Bartel Rupp,age 84, of Wayzata, passed away August, 30, 2021.

Esther, their fourth daughter, was born to missionary parents, Loyal and Susan Bartel in Shandong Province China. Her education began with Caoxian home schooling, Shanghai American School (SA) 1946-47, American School Kikungshan (ASK) 1947-48, Mountain Lake (Minnesota) public schools, and then Wheaton Community High School in Illinois. She was an avid reader, famously getting lost in Shanghai while reading on the way home from school. In addition to being an excellent student, Esther was a serious worker beginning in high school to earn money for college and continuing with summer employment at Winona Lake, Indiana. After graduating second in her high school class at Wheaton, she continued her studies at North Park College/Swedish Covenant Hospital’s nursing program in Chicago. Esther then worked as a courier nurse for the Santa Fe Railroad before marrying Robert Rupp of Mt. Lake, Minnesota in December of 1963, whom she met at the University of Minnesota.

Her entire married life was spent in Minnesota, except for multiple worldwide travels. Esther taught/trained personnel at the VA hospital in Minnesota after earning her master’s degree at the University of St Thomas in St. Paul, MN in 1982. She was extraordinary in caring for her elderly aunts, uncles, and especially for the last 20+ years, she worked relentlessly in promoting the reconstruction of the historic Bartel Stone House in Hillsboro, Kansas.

Esther’s joyful disposition and genuine interest in others will be sorely missed by all who knew her. She lost her brief but courageous battle with cancer, attended by family at her bedside. Esther is survived by her husband, Bob, and son Andrew (Gary), siblings Lenora (the late Milton) Regier, Ruth (William) Stough, Lois (the late Frederick) Pringle, and David (Marilyn) Bartel. Memorial contributions may be sent to Historical Museum, “Bartel Stone House,” Hillsboro, Kansas.