Obituary for Stephanie M. Rupert (Russo)
Stephanie Rupert, née Russo, passed away on September 13, 2020, having just reached the age of 74, from advanced stage kidney cancer, first diagnosed in 2005. Until the past year, she was able to enjoy her retirement comfortably despite her illness.
Stephanie was a loving mother to her only son, Joseph Rupert, in whom she took great pride. She was predeceased by her devoted mother and father, Edith and Joseph Russo, and her older sister, Theresa Kalik. She is survived by her cousins and friends.
Stephanie grew up among many cousins since her mother was one of twelve children. On Sundays in the summer, she would join the family in Woodbury Heights. The kids would go down to the lake and the mothers would make the Sunday gravy for the whole gang.
As a teenager, Stephanie and her cousin Barbara, who was the same age, would play volleyball or swim at Vare Recreation Center. She and Barbara made their first trip to Europe together in 1968, literally on $5.00 a day. They were disappointed that they could not go to Paris as planned because of student riots. They went to Amsterdam instead, along with London and Italy , but Paris would have to wait until later. At 21 years old, they caught the attraction of several good-looking young men in Italy but they knew that they would have to report to big sister, Theresa, upon their return.
Stephanie grew up in South Philadelphia and attended Saint Thomas Aquinas School and Saint Maria Goretti High School. As a young mother working full-time, Stephanie completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology. She started her career at the University of Pennsylvania before moving on to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Stephanie then took a position at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children as the supervisor of the Hematology laboratory. After a decade at St. Chris, she moved on to Abington Memorial Hospital’s laboratory, holding a variety of positions: Hematology supervisor, Phlebotomy manager, and Quality and Safety officer for the lab. Stephanie retired from Abington’s lab after 21 years of service.
Stephanie will be buried alongside her mother and father and her sister in a graveside service at Holy Cross Cemetery on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 at 11:00 am
Stephanie was a loving mother to her only son, Joseph Rupert, in whom she took great pride. She was predeceased by her devoted mother and father, Edith and Joseph Russo, and her older sister, Theresa Kalik. She is survived by her cousins and friends.
Stephanie grew up among many cousins since her mother was one of twelve children. On Sundays in the summer, she would join the family in Woodbury Heights. The kids would go down to the lake and the mothers would make the Sunday gravy for the whole gang.
As a teenager, Stephanie and her cousin Barbara, who was the same age, would play volleyball or swim at Vare Recreation Center. She and Barbara made their first trip to Europe together in 1968, literally on $5.00 a day. They were disappointed that they could not go to Paris as planned because of student riots. They went to Amsterdam instead, along with London and Italy , but Paris would have to wait until later. At 21 years old, they caught the attraction of several good-looking young men in Italy but they knew that they would have to report to big sister, Theresa, upon their return.
Stephanie grew up in South Philadelphia and attended Saint Thomas Aquinas School and Saint Maria Goretti High School. As a young mother working full-time, Stephanie completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology. She started her career at the University of Pennsylvania before moving on to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Stephanie then took a position at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children as the supervisor of the Hematology laboratory. After a decade at St. Chris, she moved on to Abington Memorial Hospital’s laboratory, holding a variety of positions: Hematology supervisor, Phlebotomy manager, and Quality and Safety officer for the lab. Stephanie retired from Abington’s lab after 21 years of service.
Stephanie will be buried alongside her mother and father and her sister in a graveside service at Holy Cross Cemetery on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 at 11:00 am