Dates
Sammye Ruppeck, 80, of San Angelo, Texas passed away on April 24, 2024.
She was born on October 13, 1943, to Johno and Thelia “Nook” Mayo in San Angelo, Texas.
When Sammye was 7 years old, her father and mother moved her and her brother Johnny Mayo Jr. to the Luedecke Family Farm that her mother grew up on outside of Eldorado. Sammye was the Salutatorian for the Eldorado High School graduating class of 1961. She missed becoming the Valedictorian by one point; a detail she never failed to mention when speaking about her high school years. She went on to study at Baylor University and received a Bachelors of Arts degree in 1965 with a major in journalism, a minor in history and her teaching certification.
After college she taught in various Texas school systems, and also spent two years teaching on the Lagis Field Airforce base in the Azores, Portugal.
When Sammye returned from the Azores she married Lee Ruppeck on September 15, 1973. They settled in Christoval and Sammye went to work for the child welfare department in San Angelo. They had one child, Jessica, and Sammye stayed home with her until 1986 when she returned to the workforce. She worked as the Executive Director for the Family Shelter and for the Concho Valley Home for Girls. She dedicated herself to helping children and teens in the Concho Valley through the toughest times in their lives. She retired from the Concho Valley Home for Girls in 2019 after over 30 years of service.
Sammye is preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her beloved daughter, Jessica Ruppeck, and son-in-law Bogh Rathcke of Dripping Springs; brother Johnny Mayo Jr. and sister-in-law Carolyn Mayo; nephew Michael Mayo and wife Korrie Mayo; great nieces Raelynn and Madelyn Mayo, all of Jacksonville, Florida; many special cousins; and special friends Vickie and Dean Williams of Eldorado and Corie Williams of Lubbock.
The family would like to thank Amy Ortiz, Vanessa Ortiz, and Victoria George for their special care and friendship with Sammye. She loved them dearly.
The graveside service will be held on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at the Eldorado Cemetery, 888 U.S. Highway 190, Eldorado, Texas 76936. This will be followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 2 N. Cottonwood, Eldorado, Texas with a lunch for family and friends afterwards at the church.
The livestream of Wednesday's service may be viewed on the First Presbyterian Church of Eldorado's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/fpceldorado
Memorial Contributions may be made to the Transition Center/CVHG at cvhfg.org or by mailing a check to Transition Center/CVHG P.O. Box 3772, San Angelo, Texas 76902.