Irvin Elias Rupp, 83, of Plant City, died Nov. 21, 2013.
He was born in 1930, in Lebanon County, Pa., and was raised on a farm in Jonestown, Pa. He graduated from Jonestown High School, where he was a pitcher on the baseball team. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, for which he served in the Korean War.
He met his wife, Raenell, while stationed at McDill Air Force Base, in Tampa. They settled in Raenell’s hometown of Plant City.
He was a police officer for a short time in Plant City, until he went to work for the railroad and piggyback service. He retired in 1994, from Seaboard Coastline Railroad.
He was involved with little League baseball for more than 30 years, where he served as president of the Plant City Little League. He was named Volunteer of the Year in 1990, by the Little League headquarters in Williamsport, Pa.
He was a member of the Olin S. Wright Masonic Lodge No. 79, where he was past master, and was of the Scottish Rite in Plant City.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Raenell McGowan; and grandson, Kristopher Tripp.
He is survived by his children, Carl Rupp (Chris) and daughter, Eva Tripp (Wayne); grandsons, Alvin Rupp (Alisha) and Elias Rupp; great-granddaughters, Morgan Rupp and Alleson Rupp; nieces and nephews, Colleen Rupp Lehr, Edward Rupp, John Peterson, Jamie Potter and Michelle Yeomans; and many family and friends in Florida and Lebanon County, Pa.
A Celebration of Life with Masonic rites was held Nov. 26, at Hopewell Funeral Home, Plant City.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Olin S. Wright Masonic Lodge No. 79, 304 Acacia Street, Plant City, FL. 33563.
Condolences may be made to the family at wecare.io.
