Gary “Joe” Rupe, 84, of The Villages, Florida, passed away on May 27, 2026. He was born on April 21, 1942, in Hurricane, West Virginia, and lived a life marked by resilience, patriotism, hard work, love of family, and a deep willingness to help others.

Joe was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Pat Rupe, just 10 days before his passing. Their deaths so close together reflect the depth of a love story that began many years ago in Lincoln, Nebraska, where Joe was serving in the United States Air Force and Pat was working as a nurse. That meeting began a lifelong partnership and love affair that carried them all across the country through military assignments, career moves, and family life.

Together, Joe and Pat built a life in many places, including Apple Valley, California; Denver, Colorado; Blue Creek, West Virginia; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Cleveland, Ohio; Crystal Lake, Illinois; Vancouver, British Columbia; and eventually back to Crystal Lake, Illinois, before retiring to The Villages, Florida, in 2017. For more than 35 years, they made their home in Crystal Lake, Illinois, where they also owned a local business that had a meaningful impact on many of the people who worked for them.

Joe grew up in what today might be called tough conditions, including time in Cotton, West Virginia, where his father, Arnold Rupe, worked for the gas company until retirement. Though those were hard-scrabble years, Joe often told stories about them with warmth and humor. He spoke of hunting squirrels after school and climbing up the mountain to repair the television wire that ran all the way up the hill from the house. Those early experiences shaped the toughness, resourcefulness, and determination that stayed with him throughout his life. He also famously hated chicken, having seen his mom, Sybil, wring the neck of one too many while he was growing up.

Joe shared a close and enduring bond with his sister Shirley and brother, Jaimie “Jim” Rupe. The two brothers tried more than once to build a business together—and even created a NASCAR race team for several years. Those ventures did not always unfold as they imagined, but they reflected Joe’s entrepreneurial spirit, his optimism, and his willingness to chase bold ideas. In many ways, those efforts helped prepare both brothers for later success in life.

Joe served proudly in the United States Air Force, and his love for his country was a defining part of who he was. He was a fiercely proud American who carried his patriotism not as a slogan, but as a way of life. He valued service, responsibility, self-reliance, and character.

After his military service, Joe built a distinguished career as a sales executive with Motorola, where he worked for more than 30 years during an era when being part of Motorola meant something very special. He was deeply proud of the company and of the work he did there. His career took him from projects in the coal mines of West Virginia to helping support the rebuilding of Kuwait’s communications infrastructure following Operation Desert Storm. He belonged to a generation of “Motorolans” for whom professionalism, innovation, and loyalty carried real meaning.

Joe loved aviation, NASCAR, and anything mechanical or electrical. He was happiest around machines, tools, engines, wiring, and problems that needed solving. He had the kind of practical intelligence that allowed him to understand how things worked and the patience to fix them when they didn’t.

He was also someone who genuinely cared about people. Joe believed deeply in helping others—especially those who were trying to help themselves. He was always willing to offer mentorship, support, advice, or a hand to someone in need, as long as they were looking for help and not a handout. That belief reflected the values he lived by: work hard, be honest, stand on your own feet, and help others do the same.

Joe is survived by his son, Eric Rupe (Maria Hush), of Parker, Colorado, who, as a child, “went everywhere” Pat and Joe went until finally deciding he was old enough to stay home and eat dinner by himself on Friday nights while Pat and Joe went out with their close group of friends—a tradition that continued for decades. Joe is also survived by his grandchildren, Jenna Rupe-Nelson (Tommy Nelson), Thomas Rupe (Michelle Rupe), and Jonathan Rupe; and by his great-grandchild, Adler Rupe.

In addition to Pat, Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Sybil and Arnold Rupe; his brother, Jim; and his sister, Shirley.

Joe will be remembered for his strength, his loyalty, his work ethic, his stories, his humor, his patriotism, and his unwavering love for family. He lived fully, worked hard, loved deeply, and left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him.

Arrangements entrusted with BALDWIN BROTHERS Funeral & Cremation Society-Spanish Springs, 352-430-1449. Sentiments are encouraged at www.baldwincremation.com.