Rapp

Nancy Jean Ansman Rapp of Renfrew went to be with her Lord on April 4, 2007, from brain cancer cared for by the VNA Hospice group. She passed peacefully surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Altoona, Pa., she was the daughter of William E. and Frances M. Beauchamp Ansman, both deceased. Nancy was oldest of four sisters and one brother.

After graduating from Butler High School, she played the violin in college at Miami University, where she majored in fine arts. She also played with the Butler Symphony Orchestra, where she was on the BCSA board for eight years serving on the reception and hospitality committee. Her talents included award winning pastel landscapes. She was a past member of the local art society.

She and her husband William J. Rapp, married Sept. 6, 1958, and joined St. Conrad Roman Catholic Church in Meridian in 1959, now St. Fidelis. She was a long time member of the Christian Mothers. Her handpicked raspberry homemade pies were eagerly anticipated at church functions.

Nancy was a homemaker raising four children before she and her husband, Bill, opened their business, Rapp Industrial Sales, in 1976. She joined first as the accountant then grew to manage the operation for 30 years as the controller/inside salesperson, a job she loved.

She was well known for her fine cuisine from thousands of recipes she collected. Her life desire was preparing meals from scratch, after recreating the recipes. For entertainment, she played cards and was an avid bridge player belonging to three clubs.

Nancy was a member of the Connoquenessing Garden Club. She had a green thumb, making plants bloom when others could not. An avid gardener, she grew vegetables and fruits that were canned or frozen for her meals, as well as many varieties of flowers in her garden and home.

Surviving are her husband, William J. Rapp of Butler; one daughter, Diana Wilson and her husband, Geoff, of Ohio; three sons, Kenneth and his wife, Gayle, of Vermont, Timothy and his wife, Terrie, of Maryland and James and his wife, Donna, of West Virginia.

Twenty grandchildren also survive her. The children of Kenneth are Christopher and Jessica. The children of Diana are Stephen, Joseph and Alex. The children of Timothy are Andrew, Nathan, Elizabeth, Rebekah, Seth, Sarah, John and Rachel. The children of James are Benjamin, Antonio, Juliette, Mary, Victoria, Angela and Kateri.

Also surviving are one brother, Donald Ansman and his wife, Bert, of Butler; three sisters, Marjorie Balog and her husband, Michael, of Butler, Lorraine Shoemaker and her husband, Robert, of Butler, and Carole Gaddas and her husband, Geoffrey, of Putney, Vt.

<B>RAPP </B>— Friends of Nancy Jean Ansman Rapp, who died Wednesday April 4, 2007, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the <B>Geibel Funeral Home</B>, 201 E. Cunningham St. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Fidelis Roman Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Butler County Memorial Park, Butler Township.Members of the St. Fidelis Parish will hold a parish prayer service at 3 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.Memorial donations may be made to the VNA Hospice Program, 154 Hindman Road Butler, PA 16001.Information also is available at www.geibelfuneralhome.com.