Edward John Rapinchuk, a resident of Oakdale for 58 years, slipped into eternity into the arms of Jesus on January 8, 2021 after a brief illness. He was born July 10, 1934 in Chicago, Illinois, to Andrew and Susan Rapinchuk, the sixth of ten children. He attended Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, before graduating with a degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois, Champaign, in 1957. He met a young student nurse, Marilyn Erickson, at a roller-skating rink, and they married in 1957; they were married for 59 years until her death in 2017. In 1961, they moved to Fremont, California, where he became employed by Hunt Foods and Industries. A year later, they would call Oakdale home after being transferred to Hunt Foods in Oakdale, where he was plant engineer for a number of years. He retired in 2017 from Howk Well Systems in Modesto.
He and Marilyn raised four active children and Ed, along with Marilyn, was involved in their many activities, including Little League, Oakdale Swim Team, Campfire, Y Indian Guides, school sports and many church activities throughout the years. He religiously attended every possible Oakdale High School football game (including freshman and sophomore games, at times traveling out of state to watch the team) for decades after his kids graduated from OHS. He loved Marilyn and his kids and grandkids. He was a long-time member of Oakdale Rotary (serving as president in 1969), American Institute of Plant Engineers, and attended many Association of Operating Room Nurses conventions with Marilyn. He was a member in the Gideons International, known for distributing free Bibles and was a leader in Bible Study Fellowship.
The son of immigrants who fled eastern Europe in the early 20th century, he loved the U.S. Constitution, and promoted it through membership in the John Birch Society. He was somewhat of a homebody, but traveled the world with Marilyn, who took him with her on her many trips. Ed played the baritone horn in the church band. He had a deep baritone voice and was active in church choirs, as well as most recently the Oakdale Singing Seniors. He had a goofy sense of humor and excelled at “Dad jokes” before they were a thing. A hard worker, he did much of the maintenance for his rentals, and farmed his almond orchard for a number of years, along with Marilyn and his kids (and inspired enthusiasm in them for raking almonds, carrying sprinkler pipes, and driving the tractor). He will be remembered for his generous, gentle, and loving spirit, as well as his quirky sense of humor.
In addition to Marilyn, Ed was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Susan Rapinchuk, his brothers, Andrew and Walter, and his sister, Ruth Rost. He is survived by his sisters, Ann Budnik and Judy Armstrong, and his brothers, Paul, Tom, Sam, and George, his daughter Kimberly (Alan) Van Cleave, Edward Jr. (Kristi), Steve (Marisa) and David (Meredith) Rapinchuk, nine grandchildren, Lauren (Gavin) Edward, Kristin (Andrew) Pauling, Amanda Rapinchuk, Jake (Jackie) Rapinchuk, Heather Rapinchuk, Grant Rapinchuk, Eric Rapinchuk, Jenny Rapinchuk, Taylor (Justin) Chia, one great grandchild, Arlo Edward, and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts may be made to Through The Bible at www.ttb.org, the Gideons International at www.gideons.org, or Samaritan’s Purse at www.samaritanspurse.org. An outdoor memorial will be held at Burwood Cemetery at 11 a.m. on Friday, January 22. For a live-stream link to or information regarding the indoor memorial service to follow, contact Kim at oreo@oz.net.
The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader
The Riverbank (Calif.) News
He and Marilyn raised four active children and Ed, along with Marilyn, was involved in their many activities, including Little League, Oakdale Swim Team, Campfire, Y Indian Guides, school sports and many church activities throughout the years. He religiously attended every possible Oakdale High School football game (including freshman and sophomore games, at times traveling out of state to watch the team) for decades after his kids graduated from OHS. He loved Marilyn and his kids and grandkids. He was a long-time member of Oakdale Rotary (serving as president in 1969), American Institute of Plant Engineers, and attended many Association of Operating Room Nurses conventions with Marilyn. He was a member in the Gideons International, known for distributing free Bibles and was a leader in Bible Study Fellowship.
The son of immigrants who fled eastern Europe in the early 20th century, he loved the U.S. Constitution, and promoted it through membership in the John Birch Society. He was somewhat of a homebody, but traveled the world with Marilyn, who took him with her on her many trips. Ed played the baritone horn in the church band. He had a deep baritone voice and was active in church choirs, as well as most recently the Oakdale Singing Seniors. He had a goofy sense of humor and excelled at “Dad jokes” before they were a thing. A hard worker, he did much of the maintenance for his rentals, and farmed his almond orchard for a number of years, along with Marilyn and his kids (and inspired enthusiasm in them for raking almonds, carrying sprinkler pipes, and driving the tractor). He will be remembered for his generous, gentle, and loving spirit, as well as his quirky sense of humor.
In addition to Marilyn, Ed was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Susan Rapinchuk, his brothers, Andrew and Walter, and his sister, Ruth Rost. He is survived by his sisters, Ann Budnik and Judy Armstrong, and his brothers, Paul, Tom, Sam, and George, his daughter Kimberly (Alan) Van Cleave, Edward Jr. (Kristi), Steve (Marisa) and David (Meredith) Rapinchuk, nine grandchildren, Lauren (Gavin) Edward, Kristin (Andrew) Pauling, Amanda Rapinchuk, Jake (Jackie) Rapinchuk, Heather Rapinchuk, Grant Rapinchuk, Eric Rapinchuk, Jenny Rapinchuk, Taylor (Justin) Chia, one great grandchild, Arlo Edward, and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts may be made to Through The Bible at www.ttb.org, the Gideons International at www.gideons.org, or Samaritan’s Purse at www.samaritanspurse.org. An outdoor memorial will be held at Burwood Cemetery at 11 a.m. on Friday, January 22. For a live-stream link to or information regarding the indoor memorial service to follow, contact Kim at oreo@oz.net.
The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader
The Riverbank (Calif.) News
Jan. 20, 2021
