James A. Raupp

James A. Raupp, age 74, of rural Reedsburg, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family and friends on Sunday, February 17, 2019, following a courageous battle with cancer.

Jim was born on October 5, 1944, in Buffalo Grove, IL, the son of Frank and Helen (Lumpp) Raupp.  The family moved to the Reedsburg area in 1959.  In 1962, he met and married the love of his life, Bonnie Jean Jones.  This union was blessed with six children.  In the early 1970’s, he took over his dad’s dairy operation.  He ran the farm until his passing.  Over his lifetime Jim enjoyed many hobbies.  In his younger days he loved snowmobiling.  He was an avid bowler and belonged to several leagues.  He loved to hunt and would often head into the woods to take a nap during deer season.  In his later years, he enjoyed wine making, jelly cooking and selling sweetcorn and produce with his grandchildren.  Jim loved to pick the cherries from his cherry tree in the front yard-often using the bucket on his tractor to lift him to the top of the tree.  On certain fall days, you could find Jim sitting in the machine shed cracking black walnuts.

Jim is survived by his children:  Jimmy and Cathy, Terry and Sue, Vonda (Randy Fawcett),  Kathy and the late Mike, Candy and Karl Berna, Tim and Julie; 14 grandchildren; 8 great grandchildren; and his friend and companion, Linda Stromberg; brothers and sisters: Marge Sullivan, Fred (Carla) Raupp, Matt (Margo) Raupp, Mary Anne Nolen, Louis (Maggie) Raupp, Fran (Ron) Richert, Jan (Dave) Geffert, Ellie (Jim) Bierman, Annette (Dave) Whitney; sister-in-law, Joan Raupp; nieces, nephews along with other relatives and friends. 

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 40 years, Bonnie Jean; his son, Mike; grandson, Alex; brothers, Bill and Hank; sisters-in-law, Carol Raupp, and Vivian Raupp; brothers-in-law, Jack Sullivan and Gary Whitney.

Sunday family breakfast at the farm was an integral part of Jim’s life.  Above all else, time spent with his family is what he held closest to his heart.  Jim finished his life well lived, on a Sunday morning, surrounded by those he loved.

A Mass of Christian Burial for James A. Raupp will be conducted at 11:00 AM on Saturday, February 23, 2019, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Reedsburg, with Father David Carrano officiating.  Burial will follow in Butterfield Cemetery.  Visitation will be held on Friday from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at the Farber Funeral Home where a prayer service will begin at 7:30.  Visitation will also be held on Saturday morning from 10:00 AM until the time of the service at the church.

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