By Jim Meridith
Posted: Updated:
4 Comments
  • Visitation

    Saturday, April 2, 2022

    8:30 am to 10:15 am

    Immaculate Conception Church

    Pierron, IL.

  • Service

    Saturday, April 2, 2022

    10:30 am

    Immaculate Conception Catholic Church

    Pierron, IL.

  • Full Obituary

    Donna R. (nee Gerety) Rapp, 84, of Edwardsville, IL, formerly of rural Pocahontas, passed away Monday, March 28, 2022, at Stillwater Senior Living, in Edwardsville, IL, with her family by her side.

    She was born on February 12, 1938, in Davenport, IA, to Andrew and Marcella (nee Latzer) Gerety. On November 14, 1959, she married Robert “Bob” Rapp in Davenport, IA.

    Donna was member of Immaculate Conception Church, Pierron, IL, after moving to rural Pocahontas in 1994.  She served as a school board President at Our Lady of Assumption, Fairview Heights, IL and also as a school board member of Althoff Catholic High School, Belleville, IL.  She also participated in the Highland Women’s Club.  Donna worked as a registered nurse at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, until her retirement in 1995.

    Donna played on a bowling league for many years and loved participating in water aerobics. She enjoyed playing cards with friends and neighbors and participated in her neighborhood women’s breakfast club.  She traveled to several places, taking cruises to Italy, Norway, Denmark, England, Ireland, France & Hawaii to name a few; often traveling with a group of her nursing friends and their spouses.

    She was preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and Marcella Gerety; daughter, Judith Rohrer; grandson, Nathan Joines; brother and sister-in-law, Thomas (JoAnn) Gerety; sister-in-law, Loretta (Willis) Thien; brothers-in-law and sister-in-law, Joseph (JoAnn) Rapp, and Howard Bjornson.

    Donna is survived by her loving husband of 62 years, Robert “Bob” Rapp, Pocahontas, IL; children, Nancy (Timothy) O’Neill, Chicago Heights, IL, Jennifer (Mark) Joines, Smithville, TN, Joseph (Theresa) Rapp, Gastonia, NC, Karen (Ray) Martinez, St. Louis, MO, Linda (Steve) Distler, Glen View, IL; son-in-law, Russell Rohrer, Quincy, IL; grandchildren, Stephanie, Melissa, Meghan, Joseph, Robert, Matthew, Elizabeth, Christine, Stephen, Grace, Sylvia, Jack, Lauren; great-grandchildren, Aoife, Adrijana, Aleksander, Nikolina, Radmila, Adalynn, Aleah, Anastazia, Stella, Madelyn, Theodore, Beau, Bennett; sisters-in-law, Sr. Dolores Ann Rapp ASC, and Virginia Bjornson; many nieces and nephews; and her dear nursing friends, Rosemary Thomsen, Charlotte Buckman and Marty Clynes.

    Memorials may be made to Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Dept of Neurology, 4488 Forest Park Ave, Ste 200, St. Louis, MO 63108 or Family Hospice, 5110 West Main St., Belleville, IL 62226.

    Visitation: Saturday, April 2, 2022, from 8:30 am to 10:15 am, Immaculate Conception Church, Pierron, IL.

    Mass of Christian Burial:  Saturday, April 2, 2022, 10:30 am, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Pierron, IL.

    Clergy: Reverend Paul Bonk

    Interment: Calvary Cemetery, Pierron, IL.

    Meridith Funeral Home, Highland, IL.

Condolences are reviewed and published within 24 hours.

4 Condolences
 
  1. Rosalie Fall & Daughters / March 29, 2022 at 2:55 pm

    Dear Bob and family,
    So sorry to hear of the loss of your wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother,

    With deepest thoughts, prayers and sadness I write this note. Donna was a wonderful person and faithful to her catholic faith.
    She will be greatly missed by all her knew her.

    May she Rest In The peace and the love of Our Lord.

    With Sympathy,

    Rosalie

  2. GREGORY & YVONNE HOWELL / March 30, 2022 at 1:09 pm

    Dear Bob and Family,

    Yvonne and I are very sorry to learn of Donna’s passing. It brings back a lot of good memories of the years at Our Lady of Assumption. Our children and yours were classmates at Our lady of Assumption and we still remember the graduation party you held at the company facilities. You and Donna were so gracious, and kind and our daughter Yvette still recalls the good time that she had.

    Donna has achieved her eternal reward, and we hopefully will one day be able to share it with her.

    May she rest in peace.

    Take care,
    Greg (Joe) and Yvonne Howell

  3. Becky Grimmer / March 31, 2022 at 4:37 pm

    Nancy & Family,
    May the Lord comfort you at this difficult time. Sorry for your loss. Prayers to you all.
    Becky Grimmer & family

  4. Karen Rittenhouse / April 1, 2022 at 5:56 pm

    Deepest sympathies to the Rapp family. Lots of good memories from the OLA days. May she rest in peace!
    Karen (Roush) Rittenhouse

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