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Obituary for John Braga Rapose

John Braga  Rapose
OWLS HEAD - John B. Rapose, 93, died Thursday, November 29, 2012 at Togus Springs Hospice Unit, following a brief period of declining health.

Born in Taunton, Massachusetts, April 3, 1919, he was the son of Anthony and Maria Braga Rapoza. He was a 1936 graduate of Coyle High School in Taunton.

Following high school Mr. Rapose enlisted in the US Navy in Sampson, New York where he was assigned to the Gilmore Unit, serving as Assistant Company Commander. He later moved to Boston then to Ft. Kyler, New York where he served with the New York Harbor Patrol. Moving on to Key West, Florida, Mr. Rapose served aboard a sub-chaser in the Pacific. Following the decommissioning of that sub-chaser he was stationed to the USS Camberra C.A. 70. He was serving aboard that ship when it was torpedoed off the coast of Formosa, losing 21 of his shipmates. The ship was sent to Boston for repairs following which it was sent to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Mr. Rapose was ultimately discharged from that ship when it was ‘moth-balled’ at Pier 4 in San Francisco, California. More recently Mr. Rapose has enjoyed attending annual anniversary gatherings of the USS Camberra C.A. 70 and C.A. 2.

On October 22, 1940, Mr. Rapose married Josephine Medeiros in Somerset, Massachusetts. Together they made their home in Irvington, New Jersey where Mr. Rapose worked with Pep Boy’s Automotive and for one year with CO2 Fire Equipment Company in Newark. Since 1982, Mr. and Mrs. Rapose have enjoyed wintering in Florida. Mrs. Rapose passed away in 2009.

Following the war, Mr. Rapose lived for a brief time in Gardiner where he worked with Augusta Supply Company. In 1947 he moved to Rockland where he began employment with the former Crie Hardware, eventually becoming manager and working with that company for 22 years.

In 1967 Mr. Rapose opened Rapose True Value Hardware on Main Street in Rockland which he operated until his retirement in 1982.

For many years Mr. Rapose was an active member of the Rockland Chamber of Commerce. He held the longest standing membership with the Rockland Lodge of Elks with over 65 years of participation. He is also a senior member, past President, and past Lieutenant Governor of the Rockland Kiwanis Club, past Grand Knight and past District Deputy with the Knights of Columbus; as well as a member of the Rockland VFW Memorial Post No. 2499, and Winslow-Holbrook-Merritt American Legion Post No. 1, Rockland. He has also held membership with the Eagles Lodge and Royal Order of the Moose in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Predeceased by his wife, and his siblings, Joseph Rapoza, Dorothy Manoun, Genevieve Silva, Elsie Souza; Mr. Rapose is survived by his three daughters, Jacqueline R. Raye and her companion Gary M. Leach of Union, Claudia Ann Peterson of Greenville, South Carolina, Mary Rapose of Owls Head; seven grandchildren, Douglas Raye of Cushing, Melisa McMahan of Thomaston, Theresa Gibson, Thomas Peterson both of Greenville, South Carolina, John Conway, Corey Conway both of Rockland, Josie Knowles of Dover Foxcroft; 14 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren; as well as several nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to visit from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, November 30, 2012 at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 1, 2012 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, 150 Broadway, Rockland.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Togus Springs Hospice Unit, 1 VA Center, Augusta, Maine 04330.

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