Former Medical College of Ohio president dies at 81

10/23/2012

Richard Ruppert, a member of the volunteer panel campaigning to reorganize Lucas County into a home-rule government, addresses the Sylvania Rotary in January.

The Blade/Lisa Dutton
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[1931-2012] Dr. Richard D. Ruppert, who was the third president of the Medical College of Ohio and a former chairman of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, died Monday in New Orleans. He was 81.

He had accompanied his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Ruppert, to a pediatrics conference. He had an apparent heart attack as he and his wife left their hotel. He had heart problems for some time, "but this was unexpected," his wife said

Dr. Ruppert most recently was a leader in efforts to reform Lucas County government.

He was president of MCO from 1977-93. During his 1989-99 tenure on the port board, he was chairman for four years.

Surviving are his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Ruppert, whom he married Aug. 31, 1959; daughters, Victoria Ruppert Ridge, Elizabeth Morgan Ruppert, Rebecca Ruppert McMahon, and Julie Ruppert Schulte; sisters, Patricia Talbot, Libby Hannah Wade, and Nancy Ruppert; brothers, James Ruppert and Rupert Earl Ruppert, and seven grandchildren.

The family will receive friends from 2-8 p.m. Friday in the Coyle Funeral Home. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in Christ Presbyterian Church, which he attended.

The family suggests tributes to the Richard D. Ruppert scholarship fund at the UT college of medicine or the Anne Grady Prescribed Pediatric Center.