Audeen Rapier

Audeen Frank Rapier Audeen Rapier, 93, passed away October 25 in Mesa Arizona. She was born July 21, 1918 in Thatcher Arizona to George Frank and Anna Elzina Curtis Frank. She had a happy youth until her father passed away when she was eleven and lost her mother a year later. She was sent to live with relatives in Bisbee, AZ. She was extremely lonely and unhappy, but was able to return to live with her grandmother Susan Lucretia Gardner Curtis in Thatcher. She was happy there being with her first cousin Dorothy Alexander (Woolsey). She loved to attend dances and at one, met Delbert Wesley Rapier. They courted and ran off and got married on June 16, 1933 in Lordsburg New Mexico, a month before her 15th birthday. They spent their honeymoon at Delberts Aunts Faraway Ranch in the Chiricahua Mts. They started their family a year later just after her 16th birthday with the birth of Janice, by her 20th birthday Larry and Jack had been added, Danny and Renny being added during the next 15 years. Her life was spent raising her family as her husband worked at construction, farming and ranching around Arizona. They finally settled in Duncan Arizona on a farm in the York Valley. There they completed raising their family. Audeen had many happy years there where she was involved in community activities. They lived a few years in Safford before returning to the Duncan Valley. They considered the Duncan Valley their home. Where ever Audeen lived, she loved her friends and neighbors. She was very involved in the LDS church serving in the Relief Society, Primary and Young Womens programs. Her lifelong dream came to pass in the latter part of these years when she was sealed to her husband and her five children for time and all eternity in the Mesa Arizona Temple. Her husband passed away Jan. 23, 1981, leaving her a widow for over 30 years. She is survived by her 5 children, Janice (Grant) Howard, Larry Del (Jennie Lou), Danny Wayne (Marilyn) all of Duncan, Jack Wesley (Joanne) of Mesa, and George Renny (Gayle) of Phoenix, 24 Grand Children, 87 Great Grand Children, 23 Great, Great Grand Children. Her family numbers 181 people with in laws and more expected soon. She was preceded in death by her husband Delbert Wesley Rapier, her parents George and Elzina Frank, her 2 brothers George Frank Jr. and Norman Frank, her 2 sisters Mayte (Burwell) Hatch, and Harriet (Charles) Baxter and her close cousin Dorothy (Joe) Woolsey, daughters-In law Evelyn McGrath Rapier and Alberta Martineau Rapier, a great grandson Alfred Stratton and two great granddaughters Evelyn and Kathleen Rapier, and most of her close friends. She lived a long productive and active life and is now happy and joyful to have been granted her wish to be with those who went before. Services for Audeen Frank Rapier will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 5, 2011, at the Duncan LDS Stake Center. Viewing will be one hour prior to services at the church. Interment will be in the Duncan Cemetery.