Every time Darrell Peterson climbs the stairs at Imo’s Den, the hair on his arm stands up and he sees goosebumps.

It’s not fear, but awe at how the four-unit apartment building came to be thanks to the generosity of one man wanting to honor his wife.

Darrell thinks of the hours it took to reclaim those worn wooden steps and other parts of the large structure to turn it into living spaces for young people as they learn skills and take on adulthood.

In every apartment is a plaque honoring Keith and Imogene Rupel. Darrel, executive director of Lifeline Ministries, wants the young people who live at Imo’s Den to remember this Elkhart couple. He wants those at Lifeline, a ministry that provides a safe, family-like atmosphere for youth from third to 12th grades, to know about the Rupels.

Keith Rupel grew up poor in South Bend and fought in General George S. Patton’s division at the Battle of the Bulge. After the war ended, one of his brothers introduced him to Imogene Page, who worked at Wygant’s Florist. Their first date was on Valentine’s Day in 1946.

As they dated, Keith went off to study at Purdue University and would hitchhike home to see her. They married in June 1947 and he graduated almost a year later.

In the next decade, Keith and Imogene started a family and built two houses, first south of South Bend and then on Highland Avenue in Elkhart, where they worked together on weekends. She cut the limestone and he laid it. In 1963, Keith started REPCO, his own engineering firm, and his daughter Sandra Gentry remembers the smell of ammonia coming up from the basement as he created blueprints. His first clients were Don and Joe Schrock of DJ Construction. And as an example of the integrity and trust between the new business partners, that deal was sealed not even with a handshake, but with trusting nods.

In 1970 tragedy struck, as their 15-year-old son Gary drowned in a pond at Old Orchard Golf Course. Keith and Imogene were devastated, but instead of falling into despair, as some other fathers who lost children did, Keith said he was grateful to God for the 15 years he had with his best friend.

When the insurance settlement came, Keith and Imogene gave it away to Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne. Keith took Gary’s bike to Irv Polk at Youth For
Christ/Lifeline so that some other young person could benefit from its use. That encounter resulted in Keith and Irv becoming great friends.

Over the years, as Keith and Imogene’s stewardship grew alongside his business, they gave generously to places that encouraged faith or provided education, including Trinity Lutheran Church and his beloved Purdue University, where they set up several scholarships. As the Rupels planned their estates, they chose organizations they wanted to support after their deaths.

Keith knew early on that Imogene was the one from the moment he spilled a milkshake on her new straw hat and she didn’t get upset. Over the years, their love for one another continued to grow. The Rupels loved spending time with each other. They traveled to the Smokies on vacation and went to Purdue football and basketball games together. In later years, he built a laundry room onto their Highland Avenue home, despite his own macular degeneration, so that she wouldn’t have to go up and down stairs. After that, he designed a ramp and had it built for Imogene’s walker.

“True love,” says Sandra.

After several years of failing health, Imogene passed away in June 2016. At her funeral, Keith told Darrell that he wanted to honor Imogene. Darrell
thought he should give the grieving husband some time, but Keith showed up at Lifeline the next week.

Darrell was already planning on renovating a four unit building to house interns or those coming out of Lifeline. Keith asked, “If I pay for one of the apartments, can we dedicate it to Imogene?” Darrell responded, “Absolutely.”

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Darrell appreciated Keith’s gift and commitment to this project. Soon after, Darrell was out of town on vacation but came back to meet with Keith when he called. In the foyer of Lifeline, Keith said, “I don’t want to dedicate an apartment to my wife. I want to do the whole thing in her honor.”

With his donation, work on Imo’s Den started in earnest. Keith swung the first sledgehammer to start demolition and showed up on Fridays with donuts or cider. The kids would head towards his vehicle not just because he had snacks. “He was always so kind and gracious,” says Darrell.

He provided funds to support Lifeline events and helped with more than Imo’s Den. A perfect example of his kindness was after seeing a photo of girls from Lifeline at prom, Keith paid for corsages for all the girls every year after that. “Every girl needs a corsage,” he said.

The Imo’s Den project was delayed for more than three years due to historical designations and renovation. Darrell and Sandra, who had been coming down from her home in Michigan to see her father and the progress on the project, were frustrated. Keith remained gracious.

“What Keith and Imogene decided to do is investing that will see returns and dividends in heaven.”

Darrell Peterson, Executive Director of Lifeline Ministries

Darrell had plans for how to get Keith up on the porch when it was part of Parade of Homes. Just days before that, Keith died at the age of 95.

Sandra gave the speech he’d written for her to give at the party unveiling the building. He had been ready to rejoin his wife on the other side and likely knew his time was short. “I think he knew,” she says.

The Rupels had always been generous with their time and money. They had spent little on themselves and made it clear how they wanted their estate to be handled. The Community Foundation established donor-designated funds supporting Lifeline and Faith Mission. The generosity after their deaths left a legacy that will help generations to come.

Keith paid nearly all of the costs for Imo’s Den. Lifeline is starting construction on a new main building. Its internship program is bringing in college students from across the country to learn how to work with young people in a faith-based organization. Programs in elementary schools are growing, as is vocational training. The family is also growing. Sandy is often with Darrell and his wife, Leslie, and Emily and David Gaona, who are the Petersons’ daughter and son-in-law, as well as leaders at Lifeline. And they all want to hold baby Isabella Gaona, David and Emily’s newborn.

Darrell has now been leading Lifeline for 14 years, carrying on the legacy of the late Irv Polk who urged him not to let it die. Lifeline has grown, “What God’s done at Lifeline is nothing short of a miracle,” Darrell says. “What Keith and Imogene decided to do is investing that will see returns and dividends in heaven.”

This story appeared in the 2022 Annual Report.