Charlie Ruppe
(March 5 1925 - July 23 2006)
Mr. Charles Ruppe was former GAVM president and a long time member Greater Atlanta Voice Masters. He was retired civil engineer with fifty years of engineering experience including last forty years in private practice. As son of a career US Army man he was born at Fort Bragg, NC. He finished elementary school in North Carolina, high school in Oklahoma and attended Engineering School at North Carolina State College in Raleigh. But in June 1943 Charles was drafted into U.S. Army when he was eighteen years old.
During the Word War II Charles was assigned to Headquarters battery, 494th armored field artillery battalion, 12th armored division at Camp Barkley, TX, His duty was to observe the location the location of shell explosion and call fire direction for adjustment. On August 1st 1944 he was severely wounded in an accidental explosion. He run trough several surgeries an finally in March 1945 Charlie was strength enough to be released from the hospital. He returned back to school and graduated with an engineering degree in 1948. His first job was with the government agency NACA that late changed to the NASA. After that Charlie worked for Lockheed in Marietta and finally in spring 1958 he established Ruppe Engineering Co. in Atlanta. In 1975 Charlie attended class in computer programming at Hewlett-Packard and in 1983 he founded a software company.
In 1995 his World War II neck wound caused increasing shortness of breath. In Atlanta’s Sant Joseph’s Hospital Charlie get a permanent tracheotomy tube in the neck to provide supplemental air intake.
Charlie joined Masters in February 1996 and he had served two two-year terms as GAVM president from 1999 until 2003.
Charlie was Masters' president when I first come to the Budd Terrace Building... I was in a very bad mood then. My thyroid gland was destroyed by radiation therapy. I was also worried for my family, being that we have moved to the US not long before. I was tired and quite disoriented. When Ljerka and I first showed up at Wesley Wood Budd Terrace it was Charlie Ruppe who welcomed us at the door, with his arms spread wide and with a broad smile on his face. For the first time since my cancer diagnosis someone outside of my family had time and understanding for me. Charlie asked me the very questions I was seeking the answers for. Charlie was a little shorter than me (6'), but he seemed to place his arm on my shoulder "from above" and said that everything will be ok. I will never forget how much his encouraging words meant to me.
I was doing some work around the house when I received Melissa's call that Charlie was at St. Joseph's Hospital. I abandoned the work and went to visit with Charlie. I was thinking about what to bring him and then I remembered the cartoon "Don't ever give up," which all new laryngectomees received during his presidency. I found the cartoon, scanned it in and made a personal card for Charlie.
When I arrived at St. Joseph's Hospital, the nurse advised me that Charlie will probably not recognize me. However, Charlie was as sharp as ever. His body appeared weak, but his blue eyes were lively. As soon as I entered the room he pointed at my American Cancer Society T-shirt with words "Hope" on it. He showed me "thumbs up" and mouthed the word "hope." After that he continued talking to me soundlessly. We talked for about 20 minutes. I tried to read his lips as good as I could and I was sorry I haven't learned to read lips better. I did not understand everything he said, but I am sure he said "don't live too fast, sooner or later you will be here. Enjoy life." He did this by pointing to himself, then to me, then he made a breaking motion. I also clearly heard the words "enjoy life."
After Charlie passed away I met his granddaughter Megan LeCraw at the Sandy Springs Chapel Funeral Home. That night Megan sent me Charlie's autobiographical essay and I read the text for a few times… What a story, what a wonderful life. But Charlie's story is obviously not finished. He had a lot left to tell us. I hope that those that knew and loved him will finish his story.
B. Jovanovic