Clark Rapalee- Jack Plymale

On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 8:00 AM, Jack H Plymale wrote:

> **An old backup QB and piano player. He and I were rooming together in The
> Holly hotel in Charleston when the lady found her husband in bed with
> another woman. There must be some cofusion about his age The obit showed him
> to be almost79 but and I wasn't quite 80. Rapp ran like he was running in
> deep mud, but like Gib had fantastic sence of humor. Talented in many areas
> and never lacking for courage,Never knew anyone who knew him wo didn't like
> him.
>

Clark Rapalee- Clay vice

THANKS SAM FOR THE INFORMATION ON CLARK RAPALEE, I PASSED THIS ON TO ALL MY CLASS MATES AT CLAY HIGH SCHOOL AND TO A FEW OTHERS THAT KNEW HIM HERE IN PORTSMOUTH. I ENJOYED THE STORY VERY MUCH AND KNEW NOTHING ABOUT HIM OR HIS DEATH.
THANKS MUCH, CLAY

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Please notice the navigation menu on the left. I would like you to visit any of the topics to observe. Many current postings of mine have to do with politics and many of you readers may disagree with my conservative bias. That is OK, but please try other sections as I suggest, before dismissing my blog out of hand.

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Sam
Posted by Sam, Kegley at 12:23 AM
Posted by Sam, Kegley at 3:41 PM

Re: Clark Rapalee- E-mail from Andrew Waber

Politics- Conservative; Ray Pelfrey ; Jack H Plymale ; Portsmouth


Hello Sam

Thanks for the information... Clark had been battling heart trouble for several years before finally dying of it. His third wife Jewell actually committed suicide after finding him dead. I never really knew him... after my Aunt Audrey died in I believe 1988 or 1989 he met and married Jewell less than a year later and the whole family, including his children, had a falling out over it. He was not on speaking terms with any of his kids when he died, which is why he and his wife lay dead for weeks before someone finally found them.

--Andrew

Thank you, Andrew.

Sad news of a good friend. Rapp dropped by our house in Westerville and Gib Lakeman came over and we talked for an hour or more. That was maybe ten years ago. I had not been in touch with him since. Gib passed away about ten years ago. Rapp had taught in the Clay High School district before moving to Norwalk. His dad and mother would stop by Rase's Service Station on Hutchins and Seventeenth, just north of the old Sugar Bowl we loafed in. Mr. Rapalee had a band that played in the area regularly and Clark played piano. Mrs. Rapalee was a beautiful lady and they were each very nice to talk with. Clark was wise beyond his years. He had graduated from Otterbein, as Gib had, prior to going into the Army. Clark must have been double promoted in Portsmouth schools along the way because Gib was at least a couple of years older than him and fought in the Navy in the South Pacific during WWII.

Clark and I would rent Cushman motor scooters and tool atround Portsmouth on the governor controlled 40 mph scooters. He had a black '35 Ford sedan in excellent condition in the early 50's. Jack Plymale told me that Clark was a good athlete who was about a third string quarterback as a sophomore on the Trojans of 1943. The Gilmer twins, Bob and Bill, Eddie Hill, Howard Rase, Clark and I would ride around the area in the Gilmer vehicles and talk "old Portsmouth" stories, mainly of athletics. Those people indicated that Rapp would have been an excellent quarterback for Portsmouth, but he didn't play after that.

When Clark returned from Korea, he confided some atrocious personal battlefield stories to me. A man in his platoon wielded a flame thrower that "literally fried" the hordes of advancing North Koreans or Chinese troops advancing upon his people. Rapp was asked to take a battlefield commission which he turned down, as I remember. Men such as Clark Rapalee fought some real wars that have protected the rest of us. He had gone into Korea with the Second Army division invasion early on in the war and advanced with them through many battles.

God, please rest the soul of this great human being and my very good friend. like nearly all humans throughout history, Clark had sinned, but Jesus paid that price for each of us.

Sam Kegley
----- Original Message -----
From: Andrew Waber
To: skegley@columbus.rr.com
Sent: 2008-12-09 23:24
Subject: Clark Rapalee


Hello,

I saw your post on your blog wondering what happened to Clark Rapalee. Uncle Clark (whose first wife was my grandfather's sister Audrey Fritz) passed away July 11th, 2007 in St. Petersburg, FL. He was a long time school principal in Norwalk, OH.

"Former principal, wife die of natural causes at Fla. home
By CARY ASHBY - Reflector Staff Writer | Monday July 16 2007, 1:10pm

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. Police have determined a former Norwalk educator died of natural causes Tuesday at his St. Petersburg, Fla. condominium.

Officers responded to a request to check on the well-being of Louis C. Rapalee, 78, and his wife, Jewelldene "Jewell" Rapalee, 58, after a resident in the complex was concerned because the couple hadn't been seen in several weeks, the St. Petersburg Police Department said. There also was unclaimed mail accumulating in their mailbox.

Police found the couple dead inside the couple's condominium. "Both of them had been dead for several weeks. Both of their personal vehicles were parked in the parking lot and nothing appeared to be disturbed inside the residence," an officer wrote.

"It's not being investigated as a homicide," police spokesman George Kajtsa said this morning. He noted that Jewelldene Rapalee's cause of death has not been determined, but said her husband died of natural causes.

Detectives determined "there were no indications of homicidal violence." Police said their preliminary investigation showed that Louis Rapalee "had a long history of medical problems, evidenced by an abundance of medical prescriptions in the home and by confirmation of his personal physician."

Police suspect Rapalee may have died first and his wife died "a short time afterward."

Rapalee was a principal at Maplehurst Elementary School as well as in South Central Local Schools.

"He was the second principal at Norwalk Middle School," Norwalk City Schools Superintendent Wayne Babcanec said. Rapalee was the principal there from 1966 until 1977.

From 1977 until his 1982 retirement, he was the Maplehurst principal. He first was hired in the school district in 1965, as principal at Pleasant and Bronson elementary schools.

Norwalk resident Bill Conway, a former principal at Pleasant and Bronson, worked with Rapalee, starting with his first year in 1966.

"That was the year (he) transferred to the middle school as a principal," Conway said. "We were more than co-workers; we were good friends."

Conway called Rapalee a "tremendous administrator" who cared for students. "His whole life was given over to providing the very best for children," he added.



Louis C. Rapalee
| Wednesday July 18 2007, 1:03pm

July 21, 1928 - July 10, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. Louis C. "Clark" Rapalee, 78, of St. Petersburg and formerly of Norwalk, Ohio, died July 10, 2007 in his home.

He was born July 21, 1928 in Portsmouth, Ohio to the late Matthew K. and Doris D. (Gholson) Rapalee and lived in the Norwalk and Milan areas from 1960 until moving to St. Petersburg, Fla. in 1999.

He was a former Principal at Lyme Township Schools, Norwalk City Schools and South Central Schools. He was a veteran of the Army during the Korean Conflict.

He is survived by his sons, Louis Clark Rapalee, Jr. of Cleveland, Ohio and John M. Rapalee of Bowling Green, Ohio; and daughters, Terri Sandborn of Ironton, Ohio and Elizabeth and Lance Lyons of Dowagiac, Mich.; and step daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Stephen Richards of Clyde, Ohio; and three grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his second wife, Audrie A. Rapalee in 1989; and third wife, Jewelldene "Jewell" Rapalee.

Private graveside services will be held in Milan Cemetery.

Walker Funeral Home, 98 W. Main St., Norwalk, Ohio is in charge of arrangements."


--Andrew