David Paul Rupert

Dave Rupert, 56,dies of complications from Crohn’s.

By GENE STOWE Tribune Correspondent SOUTH BEND

T-shirt guy’ always lended a helping hand.

This year’s charity event season will seem smaller without the large personality and regular attendance of perennial volunteer David Rupert, organizers say. Rupert died Feb.5 of complications from Crohn’s disease. He was 56. “I feel like he was such a part of this community and so many people’s lives,” said Karin Fisher, director of community connections at Youth Service Bureau, who met him in 1996 when she was coordinating a March of Dimes walk. “Known to most of the nonprofit event planners in the area as ‘the T-shirt guy,’ he was a fixture for many years at our events. He offered to volunteer because he wanted an event T- shirt.”

Rupert, a 1974 graduate of Adams High School, was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 1977, said his brother Alan Rupert.

“He worked part time for Saint Joseph Hospital in the 1990s,”Alan said. “David was always interested in television programs and schedules. He could recite TV program schedules from many years ago and knew many facts about television programs. “He attended many volunteer and other social events in South Bend. He was outgoing and enjoyed meeting people. He liked to collect T-shirts.” Jill Langford, assistant development director at Logan Community Resources Inc., said Rupert helped with the agency’s mailings and events for years. “He loved collecting T- shirts from events — and was partial to light blue,” she said.“ He had friends all over the community. He was a poet in his own right, who celebrated kindness in his world and appreciated beauty. He was resourceful and a resource.” Because he did not drive, Rupert walked or rode the bus to events — nearly every weekend, for decades, said Fisher. “Even if there was little to no media coverage for an upcoming event, Dave somehow knew all about it and especially knew when to expect a free T-shirt,” said Sarah Greenawalt, director of community outreach at Hope Ministries.

“He always arrived with an energy and willingness to serve. For a few years while planning the Homeward Bound 5K Walk, we would even be sure to have an assignment ready for Dave when he arrived and was anxious to help.” But that was second in his priorities. “He was eager to help, but to be honest, he was in it for the T-shirts,” Fisher said.“ He collected them. Once ,I asked David how many T-shirts he owned. He guessed around 200. “He dedicated his lifetime volunteering at events. I would guess he attended more than a thousand. It’s difficult to imagine an event without David Rupert.” 

Sources: Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com and FindAGrave.com

11/12/2024 EJS

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/152992257/david-paul-rupert