Arlene Pearl Rape, age 83, of Zelienople, Pennsylvania, passed away Friday, February 17, 2017, at The Grove of Harmony.
Born July 9, 1933, in Pocahontas County, she was a daughter of the late Howard Delbert and Virgie Blanche Slayton Ray.
Arlene was a member of St. Peter’s Reformed Church, and a former member of Zelienople Church of the Nazarene. She was a 1953 graduate of Zelienople High School and had worked at Passavant Retirement Community for more than 18 years.
She enjoyed reading, writing poetry, gardening vegetables and flowers, working puzzles and spending time with her grandchildren. She especially enjoyed attending church services.
Arlene met her future husband, Melvin Eugene “Mel” Rape, at the Zelienople Diner. They married December 14, 1953, spent 61 wonderful years together until Mel passed away November 24, 2015.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Howard Ray and Delbert Ray; and two sisters, Dorothy Baker and Virginia Ray.
She leaves behind to cherish her memory her children, Dale Reeb, and wife, Rosann, and Gail Rape Madigan and husband, Patrick, all of Butler, Pennsylvania, Larry Rape, of Fombell, Pennsylvania, and Roger Reeb, and wife, Tracy, of Centerville, Ohio; 10 grandchildren, Kim, Mike, Dan, Amy, Jennifer, Tanya, Kevin, Steve, Adam and Ben; 13 great-grandchildren, Noah, Jonah, Julianne, Ethan, Cayden, Deklan, Dylan, Drew, Alexa, Gideon, Violet, Cole and Olivia; and a brother, Robert, Ray, of West Virginia.
Funeral service is Saturday, February 25, 1 p.m. at Boylan-Glenn-Kildoo Funeral Home in Zelienople, Pennsylvania, with Rev. James R. Bertoti officiating. She will be laid to rest beside her husband in St. Peter’s Reformed Church Cemetery in Zelienople, Pennsylvania. Family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until time of service.
Online condolences may be made at www.bolyanfuneralservices.com
