Walter Rapue

Walter Joseph Rapue (Walt), of Aurora Colorado, passed away in his sleep on April 5th, 2022 at the age of 77.

Walt will always be remembered as a generous family man and good friend, known for gifting flowers on every occasion and often for no reason at all other than to brighten someone’s day. Walt was a baker at heart, who as a young man opened his own pizza restaurant in downtown Denver. A man of many trades, Walt later retired after many years of employment with King Soopers where he had been a warehouse foreman, then transitioning into the floral distribution industry where he worked for many more years before retiring again in 2020.

Walt enjoyed spending his leisure time golfing and bowling with family and friends, and he was known for sharing his carpentry and home repair skills, always willing to take on a project to help someone in need. At his core Walt was a true Colorado native, loving everything the state, and especially what his beloved Denver, had to offer.

Walt is survived by his son, Jeff (wife Tonia); step-sons, Russ (wife Marisol, and grandson Zach), and Tim; sisters, Patricia Schamp and Richard Schamp of Thorton, CO; Eloise Hirsch and Kenneth Hirsch of Aitkin, MN.  Walt is preceded in death by his eldest step-son, Dave; brothers, George Junior, Daniel, Thomas, Marvin, Richard, and Paul Rapue; sisters, Annette Wittig, and Virginia Flis; and grandson Gabriel.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, June 28th at 1:00pm, at Horan & McConaty Funeral Home, 3101 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood, CO 80227 followed by a Memorial Service with honors at 3:00pm at Fort Logan National Cemetery. For those who will attend the service at Fort Logan, please meet at Staging Area A no later than 2:45pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Denver Botanic Gardens through a fund in Walt’s name. A bronze memorial stepping stone memorializing Walt will be placed at the garden later this summer.

Please leave memories and condolences for Walt by signing the tribute wall.