Audrey Elaine Sharp Rapien passed away on June 30, 2019 at Arden Courts of Anderson Twp. in Cincinnati, OH, at the age of 78.
She was born the second daughter of Oscar and Anna May (Vail) Sharp on December 10, 1940, in Bethel, OH, where she was known as Red.
She often described herself as a shy, awkward girl from the poor side of town who eventually discovered their small theatre program, and found her second family. To say it changed her entire remaining high school experience is not an exaggeration. She performed in several shows and dreamed of going on to do what she loved.
Life brought a different path, and she instead moved downtown to the Anna Louise Inn, working clerical jobs first at Western & Southern, where she met her husband Harry, and then at Royal Globe.
Eventually she threw herself into being the most dedicated mother and grandmother and aunt. All the while she sang a Porgy and Bess lullaby every night, and raised her daughter on movie-musicals. This carried over to her grandchildren. She let them stay up late to watch Mamma Mia on the VCR with her way too many times. She sat through many, many, Many original basement productions. She funded trips to the Aronoff. She shared with them her dreams, listened to theirs, and came to every single performance, big or small, that they were a part of. She and Harry were also two of their biggest cheerleaders at most games, concerts and activities.
She loved to travel -- especially to the ocean, dance and sing, spend time with her family, and generally take care of people. True to her personality, she adopted and loved many stray dogs in her lifetime. More than anything, she carried a conviction for truly loving, respecting and caring for your neighbor - all of them, a legacy she worked very hard to pass down.
Audrey is survived by her devoted husband of 52 years, Harry. She was the beloved mother of Jenny Kaeppner, loving grandmother of Emily, Charlotte and Andrew Kaeppner, dear aunt of Lisa (Dan) Ondrus and Lee (Gail) Buerkle, and great-aunt of Danny Ondrus, and Christopher and Sean Buerkle. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Lucretia Buerkle, and dear friend Carol Merman.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. John Fisher Church, 3227 Church St., Newtown, on Saturday, July 13th at 11 am. Friends may visit at T.P. White & Sons Funeral Home, 2050 Beechmont Ave., Mt. Washington, on Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30 am. A private family inurnment will take place at Mt. Moriah Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Audrey Sharp Rapien Memorial Theatre Scholarship c/o Friends of Anderson Drama, 7560 Forest Road, Cincinnati, OH 45255. Please make checks payable to FAD with the scholarship name in the memo line.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Audrey Rapien, please visit our flower store.
She was born the second daughter of Oscar and Anna May (Vail) Sharp on December 10, 1940, in Bethel, OH, where she was known as Red.
She often described herself as a shy, awkward girl from the poor side of town who eventually discovered their small theatre program, and found her second family. To say it changed her entire remaining high school experience is not an exaggeration. She performed in several shows and dreamed of going on to do what she loved.
Life brought a different path, and she instead moved downtown to the Anna Louise Inn, working clerical jobs first at Western & Southern, where she met her husband Harry, and then at Royal Globe.
Eventually she threw herself into being the most dedicated mother and grandmother and aunt. All the while she sang a Porgy and Bess lullaby every night, and raised her daughter on movie-musicals. This carried over to her grandchildren. She let them stay up late to watch Mamma Mia on the VCR with her way too many times. She sat through many, many, Many original basement productions. She funded trips to the Aronoff. She shared with them her dreams, listened to theirs, and came to every single performance, big or small, that they were a part of. She and Harry were also two of their biggest cheerleaders at most games, concerts and activities.
She loved to travel -- especially to the ocean, dance and sing, spend time with her family, and generally take care of people. True to her personality, she adopted and loved many stray dogs in her lifetime. More than anything, she carried a conviction for truly loving, respecting and caring for your neighbor - all of them, a legacy she worked very hard to pass down.
Audrey is survived by her devoted husband of 52 years, Harry. She was the beloved mother of Jenny Kaeppner, loving grandmother of Emily, Charlotte and Andrew Kaeppner, dear aunt of Lisa (Dan) Ondrus and Lee (Gail) Buerkle, and great-aunt of Danny Ondrus, and Christopher and Sean Buerkle. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Lucretia Buerkle, and dear friend Carol Merman.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. John Fisher Church, 3227 Church St., Newtown, on Saturday, July 13th at 11 am. Friends may visit at T.P. White & Sons Funeral Home, 2050 Beechmont Ave., Mt. Washington, on Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30 am. A private family inurnment will take place at Mt. Moriah Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Audrey Sharp Rapien Memorial Theatre Scholarship c/o Friends of Anderson Drama, 7560 Forest Road, Cincinnati, OH 45255. Please make checks payable to FAD with the scholarship name in the memo line.
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