Dad passed away tonight. 6:35pm. he died quietly with Mark by his side. funeral arrangements are pending but i'll keep everyone posted as to where to send flowers and such.
god speed Russ.
Ed
Our heart felt sympathy goes to you and your family. Russ left us all richer and we shall miss his wisdom.
Jim
I never met Russ. Knew him only through this BBS, but I liked him. He will be missed.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU RUSS.......
Ah, that's sad news indeed. My heartfelt condolences to you and your family, Ed, and a fond farewell for your father, our favorite curmudgeon. He will be missed.
Steve Meyer
I'm sorry to hear that, and sorry for your family's great loss. I'll miss reading Russ. He was a one of a kind.
My sincere condolences to you and your family. An enormus amount of knowledge has died with him. It will be harder to learn witout him here. He will be missed by all.
Bill G.
We all lost a friend tonight. I sit here looking at Ed's post contiplating a loss of a person I have never laid eyes on. During my years on this site I have read every post and comment that I came across that he wrote, bought parts from him and asked for his advice. You knew his character by what he said. I bet his handshake was firm, looked you straight in the eye, and had a smile on his face. I guess thats all I need to know about Russ. Like an obscure part, he's going to be hard to replace. Randy
Ed,
I'd say to check your PM's, but perhaps a bit past that now. Your dad was a friend of ours, a VERY good friend, and one of the pillars of the integrity of this forum and I doubt that anyone would argue that. He is also the person that I credit with the term JABC as he was the instrument that caused that degree of honesty to be expressed here. I, like may here, never actually met your dad other than 'on line', but he was nonetheless a person of standing and at the same time a person with a wonderful sense of humor and an honesty that most folks could or should look to emulate.
To say that he shall be missed is sublime understatement. I/we appreciate your keeping us informed and we are sorry in the most genuine sense for your loss, tho it is ours too .. and that is the message we would most like conveyed to your family. Your dad already grasps and understands that, and you as a person do him honor by your actions seen here; God bless you and yours. Russ is already more than OK.
tw
There will be a void on the BBS that will not be filled, there was only one Russ. I'm sorry for your loss---Dads are very special and I know I have missed my Dad everyday since his passing in 1990. It will get better, but never the same. Ralph
Sorry for your loss and our best wishes to your entire family.
Russ will be dearly missed.
Chris
We didn't always agree but I'm truly sorry to hear Russ is gone. We are diminished.
Goodbye and God bless,
JL
A few years ago, a fellow around here had a 20 gauge Fox AE grade for sale. I asked only two people what a decent price was for the gun. Russ and Michael McIntosh. They both told me about the same thing.
I knew those two would know if anyone would.
He was right there at the top as a Gun man and as a human being. We'll all miss him.
Ed,
I have been reading your dad's posts for many years (I lurk around here for great info.) I am sorry for your loss. I can appreciate what you may be going through. My dad passed away in July after a difficult time with bone cancer. I will pray for Russ and for your and your family. God Bless.
Duke
I'm also sorry to hear this news.
Like many of us on this board, I never met Mr. Ruppel in person. However, I learned a lot about guns from his posts.
I always appreciated his insights and his patience.
I'll miss him.
My condolences to you and to the rest of your family.
Gregg
AKA OWD
My deepest sympathy to you and your family. I can offer only the possibilities of a heaven for a man like Russ! God Bless You and Keep You All.
We do not expect folks we meet on the internet to be larger than life, but Russ was one of these. Time will not diminish our good feeling towards him. We cannot match your feelings of loss, but we can appreciate them. God be with Russ, you, and yours.
My thoughts and prayers are with your family, during your time of grief and loss.
Truly a loss, sorry to hear of it.
Klunk, rest easy now.
C. Kofoed
Sad to hear but happy that he was at home with family that he loved. When I go I hope that I am as lucky. In the end, our family is all that we really leave behind that is important and love is what makes a family. Rest easy Russ.
Sorry to hear, God Bless Russ
I never met him, but talked a good deal with him on the phone and we swapped guns a few times. He had a great taste in guns.
Russ use to make me smile on some of his posts. I one I remember is there was a dealer that had an unfinnished Optimus Lefever for sale. Russ said "I have a room full of unfinnished Optimus Lefevers"
Russ you will be missed.
Bob
Another great friend gone to his reward. We will miss you, old lion. I hope that in the next life we will meet and be joined in brotherhod. Chopper
Dear Ed:
I simply cannot say very much that others have not said, but have to offer a few thoughts.
Like so many others, I never met him in person, but Russ was an inspiration to me. We carried out an email and phone correspondence for quite a while, and I found I could share the oddest gun questions with him and he would already have thought about them, or sometimes had already figured them out. He encouraged me to do my Flues failure research, looking at it as an engineering problem rather than and old wives tail. He even contributed a cracked frame to my research. It sits on my desk as I write this.
He was sometimes irascible, frequently entertaining, but I knew he was honest in his appraisals , was no respecter of persons, and could be relied upon to liven up a dull conversation.
When I expressed some trepidation about cutting and machining some elephant ivory tusk he had sold me to make gun grips, he made a comment about civil engineers not being super bright and then provided me with a step by step "how to " , so I could get up to speed quickly.
All I could do was grin and think "yup, thats the Klunkermeister".
My family extends our prayers for you and yours in your loss.
Regards
Gregory K. Taggart
I will miss Russ a lot - yet I never met him. One of the few men with the correct mix of authority of knowledge and humility. Where I was schooled the greatest final accolade was a heartfelt "Well Done". Well Done Russ.
My heartfelt sympathies to you, your family, and your extended family and friends. Although I never personally met Russ, we were kindred spirits when it came to collecting American double guns. His totally unique style and personality was regularly exhibited in his posts here and on the LCSCA forum; sometimes with blunt candor but always with a dry sense of humor, lots of wit, and tons of common sense. He enjoyed instant name recognition throughout the collecting fraternity, regardless of moniker; and our forums have certainly been a little less exciting in his absense. His daily contributions will be sorely missed; but his past contributions will be long remembered. None of us are perfect, and maybe Russ wasn't either; but we were indeed fortunate to have had the privilege of his fellowship. May the Spirit of God comfort you and your family as you adjust to a daily routine without Russ in your lives; and may Russ rest in peace.
Thanks for the time and knowledge he gave us, best wishes to his family.
God's Speed, Russ.
Ed - one fine Pop, you had. He will remain with you and always be a source of good thoughts and inspiration. He certainly made his mark on us and, certainly, on me.
God Bless Your Family.
My sincere and heartfelt condolences to you and your family Ed. Russ was truly one of a kind with a great wealth of knowledge that he shared with so many of us that frequent this bbs. His wit and manor on this bbs was entertaining, direct and unforgetable. Which is to say that when he posted here he was as likely to 'stir the pot' or to focus the discussion. That is the way I will remember him. I still recall many of those interesting posts along with many of the threads that he participated in as they were so very entertaining and informative! God bless you Russ and God speed. Jeff S.
Ed and family, grieve well. Russ was worthy of it. Lee
Amazing to sit at a key board with tears in your eyes for a man you knew only from electronic corrispondence. Well, even with nothing but keystrokes and images on a monitor, Russ told us all who he was. He will be sorely missed.
All best to his family.
Vaya con Dios, Russ. You will be missed. -- Ed
They are not long,(enough) the days of wine and roses. Time to rest ol' Russ!
Lowell
Sad news indeed.....our sympathies to the Ruppel family.....there's now a hole hole in the web...we've lost a resource, a character, and a friend.....
A Dios, Russ,
You provided many folks with your tough wisdom. We are much the richer for it, and trust that 'Der Klunk' is appreciated as much where he is now, as we have appreciated him here.
Goodbye, Mr. Ruppel.
Goodbye Russ, and Godspeed.
My heartfelt wishes to the Ruppel family. I met Russ a number of years ago at a show in Dayton Ohio. He came out in support of the Lefever Arms Collectors Association. We had a great time beating up each others guns, laughing all the time.
Over the years the joy was trying to find an American double that Russ had never heard of, a very tough thing to do!
Russ - my thanks for all your help and wisdom.
Chris
Goodbye Russ, you will never be forgotten! May God be with your loved ones! Bobby
Lynn and I send condolences to you Ed and the the Rupple family. Russ sometimes was a cuss, and sometimes made a muss, but he didn't like to fuss.
Best wishes
Chuck H.
Der Klunkermeister would never admit to receiving any of my inquiries about a well used Damascus L.C.Smith with home made ventilated rib and aftermarket single trigger that I coveted. One day, he corresponded that "I don't have any such gun." He had converted the old ten bore beast back to double triggers! He was truly a master of understated opinion. Murphy
Please accept my heartfelt condolences at the loss of Russ. I only had the opportunity to speak with him a few times, but he taught me a great deal both here and on the phone. He was a generous man, giving of his time and his expertise to a crowd that didn't always appreciate either. I feel fortunate to have known him, and will miss him. God bless all of you in your time of loss.
We all have lost a good friend,
Goodbye, Mr. Ruppel
As I relative newcomer to this board I never had an opportunity to interact with Russ. Reading what the others have to say about him tells me that is my loss. Condolences and God bless.
Fin
Russ was a man that was always true to his word. Rest in peace my friend.
Ed and family Ruppel:
Russ/Klunkermeister, your Dad and patriarch, "made his mark" on this board. His posts and comments had their own special cachet - a flavour and forthrightness that I always found admirable and very refreshing. His comments alone always made me open the thread he was participating in, with the expectation of hard facts and his considered opinion based on long experience. And it's not only in the US of A that he'll be missed.
Sorry for the family that Russ has passed, but passing, for all of us, is the predictable tail-end of life. May the Good Lord make this time easier for you and the family.
Down tools, Russ - Rest In Peace.
I never personally met your dad, I did have many phone conversations with him. I bought many guns from him, and sold him some of his valued LC Smiths. What a gentleman! I knew that I was always getting the "straight scoop" in everything I did with him. I will miss him and his valued insights. My prayers are with you and your family. I know he is now in good hands.
Steve
Goodspeed Klunk. You were an original
You'll be missed Mr. Klunker. God bless .........
My prayers are with Russ's family-IM
Rest peacefully Russ, you deserve it.
Rest in Peace Russ.
-brian
I remember meeting Russ and thinking "What a gentle human being." after knowing from his posts that he was a tough nut. The contrast fooled me!~)
He was a tough nut, but he cracked:
*good jokes
*whips at fools (curmudgeon!~)
*open to reveal a kind heart
Thanks for your tree of knowledge, you old nut. It will be grown and treasured by people here.
Goodbye Russ, May God be with you and your loved ones.
Casey
The world of old guns and the men who treasure them will be less without Russ. Gods speed Der Klunkermeister.
Ed, I'm sorry for your family's loss...as well as our own...Geo
I'll definitely miss his voice here.
I've greatly appreciated his perspective and his character in this community.
I wish your family peace and comfort.
Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts at the time of his passing.
--Tinker
I met Russ at the big Tulsa show several years ago. We hit off just like that. He gave me sage advice on several guns that I bought and always liked to prod me about what "treasures" I had found at the local pawn shops. He will be sorely missed. May God grant comfort to the family.
Best regards,
Ken Nelson
We will all miss the "Klunker"...Russ was as fine a man as God put on this earth; we are the better for having him and he will indeed be missed.
JLD
My thoughts are with the Ruppel family.
Thanks for letting us know. We never met, but I had the opportunity to talk on-line and enjoyed picking his brain on more than one occasion. Good to hear you brought him home where he wanted to be. Take care and please do keep us posted. Christine Brummer
sincere sympathy at this sad time.
This is sad news. Russ will be deeply missed. The Klunkmeister definitely made this board, and the world, a better and more interesting place.
We'll miss you Russ.
Ken
My first post that Russ responded to was my questions about a Crescent hammer gun I’d purchased. Russ responded with his usual candor. Since that time Russ helped me out with numerous questions, even supplied me with a firing pin for my Crescent as well as parts for a few other guns. I always found Russ to be a really great guy and I always appreciated his candor and brevity. I’ll miss Russ.
Steve
Deepest symapthies for your loss. God Bless...
Sorry for your loss, he will be missed by all.
A huge loss for us. So very sorry for the family. Our best regards.
thanks for all the kind words. it's amazing to see the response der klunk has gotten on here.
well as promised here is the funeral info
here are the details as i know them.
wake will be friday night.
family viewing from 4-5pm and everyone else 5-7pm.
service is the following day at 10am
here are the addresses.
wake 4-7pm friday
Forever Bellerive Cemetery and Funeral Home
740 N. Mason Rd
Creve Coeur , MO 63141
314-434-3933
funeral service 10am saturday
St Martin DePorres Church
Dunn Rd
Hazelwood , MO 63042
can see it from the hwy 270 between lindbergh and mcdonnell blvd.
Dear Ed:
The measure of a person, to my thinking, is what they contribute to those around them, to their family, friends, community.
Speaking from what I've seen on this board over the years, your father lived to a high standard of human values: direct, honest, choked with integrity.
He has been an example and a blessing.
Warm regards to your family, King
So many have said so much, so well. I am very sorry for your loss (and ours). May God bless your family.
Fred
Dear Ed,
My depest sympathy to you and the Ruppel family.
Sincerely, Tim
My sincere sympathy to the Ruppel family.....
Russ,
Godspeed to you to the gates of Heaven, and may Oscar Gaddy be there waiting to greet you!!!
Tarheel
My sincere condolences go out the Ruppel family. Russ was one of kind here so I can imagine the swath he cut at home. His generosity with the decades of accumulated knowledge was wonderful. He is and will be missed.
From Brent Thompson and Family,
New York City via Bonne Terre, Mo.
This is huge loss for our double gun community.
We'll miss you, Russ.
My sincere condolences to his family,
sad news indeed.
GDU
This board will never be quite the same without Russ. I always read any post he made or any reply he made to a posted question. Russ was one of a kind. A man with truckloads of knowledge, and most important, a man willing to share that knowledge with the rest of us. Good Bless you Russ, we will miss you.
Ed, my sincere condolences to you and your family. Thank you for taking the time through all this to keep Russ's myriad of cyberfriends updated of the news and the arrangements. He will be missed by many, many people he never personally met but who he helped and/or advised. His loss will be felt by all of us who aspire to the title of Herr Klunkermeister. We should trademark "JABC" in his honor. May he rest in peace and comfort. Dave
I am going to miss you "Ole Klunk". I can see you now with your favorite double passing thru the "Gates of Heaven" walking down that long hedgerow behind a couple of the best bird dogs you could imagine. Save some birds for the rest of us Russ.
To Ed and family my sincere condolences.
Paul
Russ was always a Gentleman in our dealings, he will always live in our memories.
Glen
Fair winds and following seas, Klunk.
Try not to be too hard on Charles Parker and Charles A. King when you meet them.
This place will not be the same without him. We will miss him. I certainly appreicate the help that he gave me with an old 2E LC Smith. Not only have we lost a true friend but the knowledge that he took with him......
I too will miss the Klunkster. Although I knew him only through the internet I counted him as a friend. God Bless him.
Russ was one of the folks that populate this board who make my daily visits so enjoyable. I will miss him. May he rest in peace.
Bob Beach
God Speed, God Bless, R^3 we will miss you.
Heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with your family.
Thank you!
I had the pleasure of visiting Russ's house this year and photographing a pile of guns for the upcoming L.C. Smith book.
He looked over my shoulder, asked a thousand questions and then
asked me why I was taking so long. Later, we went to lunch and
talked for about 2 hours about guns, and shooting and life. I treasure the time I got to spend with him.
All the best to the Ruppel family. Terry Allen
I had the pleasure of visiting Russ's house this year and photographing a pile of guns for the upcoming L.C. Smith book.
He looked over my shoulder, asked a thousand questions and then
asked me why I was taking so long. Later, we went to lunch and
talked for about 2 hours about guns, and shooting and life. I treasure the time I got to spend with him.
All the best to the Ruppel family. Terry Allen
Terry A.. can you let us know when that book will be coming out? i'm sure us boys would like to get a copy of the old man's last published centerfold.
;-)
I never met Russ, or talked on the phone with him, but I always enjoyed his posts. As well thought of as he is here, and as much as he will be missed, I can only imagine how he will be missed at home.
Goodbye Klunk, May God welcome you home, and comfort your family.
Curtis
It's been abt four years since I've frequented the BBS and it's sad to hear upon my return that the "Klunkmeister" as passed. He's one of the gang that drew me back because he contributed so much to this board. I'm sure Russ added a lot to those in other aspects of his life as well.
God Bless him.
Ed,
Russ was one of the first to welcome me to the board back a few years. Over those few years I have let numerous fine doubles pass through my hands only to be sold to the next guy down the line, but I can honestly say that I will miss your father's presence on this board 398.27% more than all those doubleguns combined. He was a fine man, and he added a great deal to this board. I only wish I had met him in person. May the Lord bless your family and welcome your father with open arms.
God Bless,
Loren Wilcox
Ed, The book is at the printer now and should go to press in the next couple of weeks. I'm guessing it should be out by Christmas.
I'll keep you posted on that and so will John Houchins. Your Dad's contribution to the book was great with the guns we photographed and with the information on historical and technical issues. Terry
Russ was a true gentleman who will be missed,God bless your family in this time.
Michael
Godspeed, Russ. My heartfelt condolences go out to all the family.
Best Regards,
Larry Leake
Farewell, Clunker! You were a true original, and you will be missed.
I am really sorry to hear this news. I was hoping he would come home and get better. We will miss him on here so much. His antics were priceless. His opinions were straight. His knowledge was uncomparable. God Bless him so much for the enjoyment he spread to everyone.
I have been away from my computer for some time and was very sorry to hear of Russ' passing. Our best to you and the family. He will be missed here and in our hearts.
God blesses all of us before and after passing. Russ blessed us in such a way.
Ed, very sad news. He will be dearly missed.
My condolences to you and your family.
Juan Carlos
Santiago - CHILE
Ed:
Condolences to you and the rest of Russ's family. He was a unique individual who made a lasting impression on all of us. He leaves a real void in a very large community.
God speed, Russ.
I knew him only through this board and will miss his often pithy but always truthful comments. He was one of a kind, and of the kind we all will dearly miss. Bless his family and God grant him a closet full of mint Crescent Arms doubles. Chopperlump
Yesterday I had a gun disassembled. Not exactly a clunker, but one well on it's way to eventual clunkerdom unless a restoration is deemed worthy. This is not a type I'm familiar with, and so I removed parts carefully and eventually got down to just a frame with hammers, mainsprings, and latching mechanism. Or so I thought...
I dipped the assembly in a bucket of kerosene, worked it over with a brush, then blasted with 100PSI air until dry. All outside. I blew and blew for 10 minutes, into every nook and cranny of the frame until completely dry.
When the frame was set down upon the workbench a previously undetected small part dropped out. Nothing important, just the piece that keeps the top lever open! Small, complex, and undoubtedly near impossibe to replace.
Why didn't the thing blow out of there under air pressure and head for parts of the yard unknown? Why did it wait until it was safley inside to fall out where it could be easily retrieved?
I would like to think it was the Spirit of The Clunkermister looking out for an amateur gunsmith. Thanks for the intervention Russ, you saved my tail, as you have saved so many others with your generosity in the past.
Ed, Russ - One of a Kind. Straight, candid, frank and full of knowledge gained from much experience. He will be sorely missed by the members of this board. My condolences to you and your family as I know that the loss to you and yours is much much greater still. Slate, Alberta Canada.
I am sorry for your families loss, My prayers are for you and them.
Russ was a good man.
I agree with everything that has been said. Though I never had the opportunity to "wrestle" with him over the internet, I did enjoy his responces. He was a one-of-a-kind that cannot be replaced. God bless Russ and his family in this time of sorrow.
Mike Doerner
I emailed back and forth with Russ a number of times. He always responded and helped. My sympathy goes out to your family. Walton Starling
Goodbye. Old Friend.. May God be with the family.. MDC
He was a wonderful cyber mentor to me, I will miss him greatly and keep him in my prayers.