Janet Carol (Ruppel) Santino

Our beloved sister and aunt passed away on May 31, 2023. Age 73 years. After a victorious battle with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, Janet was inflicted with a rare brain disease, Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). After a courageous battle, Janet passed as a result of PML and donated her brain to science.

Janet was born on May 31, 1950, in Fort Dix, New Jersey, to the late Frederick and Verna (Schindler) Ruppel. Janet had a love of nature, especially for plants and birds. She worked as a horticulturalist and her own little piece of heaven was spending time in her garden.

Surviving are two sisters: Judy O'Dell and Joanne (Rick) Prevost; niece and nephews: Michael (Elisa) O'Dell, Nicole Toft (Chris Nunn), and Anthony Toft (Misi Kalanoska); great-nieces and nephews: Tayler and Zachary O'Dell and Coulson and Cameron Nunn. Sister-in-law Lorraine Ruppel and her daughter Paula (Steve) Coffee. A special friend, Bob Walter, a dear friend, Rhonda Abood, and her cherished fur babies: Velcro and Sherbert.

Along with her parents she was predeceased by her brother, Jerry Ruppel, her brother-in-law, Tim O’Dell, and fur babies Beano and Blaze.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Compassus Hospice and HealthSource Saginaw Inpatient Rehab for the wonderful care they provided to Janet and to Dr. Navid Seraji-Bozorgzad MD, a neurologist at U of M.

Honoring Janet's wishes cremation has taken place. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider the PML Foundation.