Laura 'Pauline' Rapley, 89
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Laura "Pauline" Rapley, 89, of Wheaton, Ill., died peacefully on Thursday, May 2, 2013, with her children by her side.
Born in North Adams on July 12, 1923, daughter of Stewart and Tressa Godfrey Ray, she spent her childhood from the age of 2 in Williamstown, graduating from the former Williamstown High School. Her maternal grandparents, Franklin and Florence "Effie Lee" Godfrey, who lived on Henderson Road would play an important role in her memories. She moved to Chicago and graduated from the Chicago School of Physical Education.
She married Kenneth Rapley of Oak Park, Ill., on Oct. 15, 1946. They had 63 wonderful years together and raised four children in Wheaton. He died on Dec. 29, 2009.
Mrs. Rapley spent the last 16 months writing poetry with her daughter, Nancy Link, and telling of her wonderful memories in Williamstown. She talked often of her cousins, the White Oaks Church and the walnut tree on the Beverly property that was very special to her.
Besides her daughter and her husband, Randall, of Illinos, she leave another daughter, Susan Oury and her husband, Michael; two sons, Keith Rapley and his wife, Bobbie, and Steven Rapley and his wife, Cindy; her loving brother, Richard Godfrey Ray; six grandchildren, Tressa Link and her fiance, Brendan Wischweh, Brian Link and his wife, Kim, Michael Oury and his wife, Bonnie, Kali Grantz and her husband, Kevin, and Carrie and Laura Rapley, and five great-grandchildren, Kayla, Jasper, Kyle, Katie and Lexi.
Her daughter Nancy would like to thank the town of Williamstown for giving her mother many wonderful memories and the gift of those memories in stories and poems to be passed down and treasured.