Obituary of Margaret O. Rappa

Margaret O. Rappa, 83, of Canajoharie, passed away early Saturday, October 18, 2008 at the home of her daughter in Ames, NY, with her loving family by her side. She was born in Poughkeepsie on June 20, 1925 a daughter of the late Albert and Marie Jacchia Oeser. Margaret was a life resident, having moved to the area with her family as a young child, and was a 1943 graduate of Canajoharie High School. She was of Roman Catholic faith and was a communicant of St. James Roman Catholic Church in Fort Plain. On September 21, 1946 she was united in marriage to Salvatore "Zeke" Rappa at St. Peter and Paul's Roman Catholic Church in Canajoharie. He predeceased her on July 4, 2007. Margaret was a loving homemaker, first and foremost. She enjoyed raising her three daughters and helping out on the family's farm in Canajoharie. In addition to this, she worked at other various places over the years such as Ration-K, Beech-Nut and Bartholomew Commission Sales, although, her favorite and most recent job was in the Jewelry Department at Ames Department Store in Palatine Bridge. Margaret enjoyed reading, painting and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She will be sadly missed by all of her family and friends. Her loving family includes her daughters; Mari R. Bartholomew and her husband Larry, Margaret Ann Tryon and her husband, Ronnie, and Sally Anne Rappa all of Ames, her grandchildren; Crissy M. Jenks and her husband, Thomas of Canajoharie, Sarah Lunde and her husband, Paul of Schoharie, Tracey Tryon of Canajoharie, Joe Bartholomew and Amy Kirkpatrick of Irvine, CA, and Lisa Tryon of Canajoharie, her great-grandchildren; Kaitlyn Jenks, Thomas Jenks, Jr., Brienna Lunde and Makenna Lunde, her sisters; Bertha Myers of St. Johnsville and Christina Hayes of Texas, and her brothers; Henry Oeser and his wife, Joan of St. Johnsville, James F. Oeser and his wife, Aletha of Florida, and Emery Oeser of St. Johnsville. Several nieces and nephews also survive. In addition to her parents and her husband, Margaret was predeceased by a brother, Albert Oeser. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at St. James Roman Catholic Church, Reid Street, Fort Plain, NY. Interment with the Catholic Rite of Committal will follow in the Ames Cemetery. The family will receive relatives and friends Monday evening from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at Lenz & Betz Funeral Home, 69 Otsego Street, Canajoharie, NY. Contributions in Margaret's memory may be made to Mountain Valley Hospice, 108 Steele Avenue, Gloversville, NY 12078, the Canajoharie Library at Arkell Museum, 2 Erie Blvd, Canajoharie, NY 13317, or to the Albany Medical Center Children's Hospital, 43 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY 12208.