Obituary of Lawrence "Larry" Rapelje

Lawrence (Larry) Rapelje passed away on July 20, 2018 from cancer at the age of 73. Larry was born October 8, 1944 to Max and Beatrice (Russell) Rapelje in Muskegon, Michigan. He got his first real job at War Memorial Hospital in Sault St. Marie. His supervisor told him he had a good heart and a real talent for taking care of people and that he should make health care his career and learn as much as he could. Larry took that advice to heart and spent his whole career caring for people. He started working at St. Luke's Hospital in Saginaw in April of 1970 and continued there (and at Covenant after a merger) until he retired 40 years later in 2010. By the end of his career he was working as a surgical tech in open heart surgery, where he was a "heart holder" who held a patient's heart steady while the surgeon operated. He said the job was fascinating. Larry was a kind, generous, and loving person. He made many friends at work and outside of work. In the final years of his life when he returned to Covenant as a patient, staff in every department greeted him warmly. He remembered them all and struck up a conversation as if he had seen them just yesterday. Larry is survived by his daughter Sherry (Chris) Norman of Winter Springs, Florida, and granddaughters Marissa, Lexi, and Maddie, great grand children Josiah, Aviana, Krystal, and Amelia; and by his son Jeffrey (Jen) Rapelje of Lowell, Michigan, and grandsons Jake, Joe, and Jon. He is also survived by his brother Dennis (Kathy) Marshall of Alma, Michigan; sister Grace Marshall of Bonney Lake, Washington; sister Rayven Quigley of Colorado Springs, Colorado; as well as two special cousins Diana (Chuck) Curtiss of Haslett, Michigan; and Donna Reed of Love's Park, Illinois; and many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his extraordinary neighbor and friend, Dan Peterson, who cared for Larry in his final year as if he were his own brother. Larry was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Robert Marshall, and his sister Maxine Robison. Cremation has taken place according to Larry's wishes, and his family will scatter his ashes in a special location near Ludington, Michigan. There will be no public service. Memorial donations can be made to the Cartwright House, 3443 Hospital Rd, Saginaw, 48603, where he spent his final days and where the staff provided excellent care. To sign online guestbook, visit www.cremationsocietymidmi.com