Rosemary Belle Rapp, 93, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, passed away on May 5, 2026, in the comfort of her home in Simi Valley, California, surrounded by family.

She was born in Hollywood, California, on January 5, 1933, to Stewart and Halleine Butts, who were pastors. Their first child was named Rosemary because roses were an expression of their love for one another. Her sister Priscilla was born 11 months later, and her sister Carol arrived two and a half years later. She was blessed to have a wonderful older brother, Stewart Butts, whose mother had passed away before Halleine and Stewart were married.

Sadly, her father passed away when she was three years old, but she remembered him sitting up with her all night when she was sick with a bad cough, sitting by the fireplace eating an orange, and throwing the peelings into the fire. It was a special memory of hers, of her devoted and wonderful Christian father.

When Rosemary was six, her mother remarried another minister, Larry Larimore. They had many wonderful stories and memories of that time, and a special blessing of that marriage that we are all thankful for today was the birth of their son, Larry Hal, many years later—a brother for Rosemary, Priscilla, and Carol.

Rosemary met Harold (Hal) Rapp at her father’s church, Bright Corner Church in Glendale, California, where his mother, Mary Rapp, sometimes played piano and where he played the steel guitar after hearing Sol Ho‘opi‘i, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest masters of the steel guitar. We, of course, believe Harold (Hal) Rapp was the greatest steel guitar player who ever lived! They were married when Rosemary was 18 and Harold (Hal) was 21, and they were married for 54 years.

Rosemary and Hal had three children together: David, Susan, and Daniel. In 1959 the family began to travel as evangelists and later pastored churches in Chico (1965–1972) and North Hollywood, California (1970s–1990s). They started out mostly traveling through California, Hal preaching, singing, and playing his many guitars, with Rosemary singing. After they became pastors and settled down from traveling, Rosemary became a wonderful pastor’s wife with a gift for singing and leading congregational singing; joining the women in the church in hosting large, wonderful home-cooked church dinners; and, especially, relating to people, caring about people, and standing at the back door shaking hands with everyone. She had a gift from God for being able to talk to anyone about literally anything. She was a gift to her family and to her church and used her gifts in all the ways the Lord blessed her to be able to do so. In their retirement years, Rosemary and Hal lived in Rancho Mirage, California, and she cared for him lovingly and faithfully for several years until his passing in 2005.

The last 14 years of her life, Rosemary lived in Simi Valley with her daughter and family. She dearly loved Jesus, her husband, her family, her friends, Hawaii, going out to eat at nice restaurants (no fast food except In-N-Out), and coffee. The last year of her life, nothing made her happier than raising her hands in worship and singing while watching a church service online on the big screen in the family room while eating her son-in-law Greg’s homemade pancakes with his freshly brewed coffee. She loved Christmas morning spent with Sue’s whole family because Holly and Mike would be there. She loved talking on the phone with David, Danny, her sister Carol, and her dear Aunt Bettie. She loved having an In-N-Out hamburger with Sue, Greg, Angela, and Krystle (Krystle would also often bring her a strawberry shake, which was the icing on the cake for her).

Rosemary was preceded in death by her loving husband of 54 years, Harold. She is survived by her son David and his wife, Bonnie; her daughter Susan and her husband, Greg; her son Danny and his wife, Shelly; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; her sister Carol; her brother Larry; and her dear Aunt Bettie.

A memorial service is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Rose Family Funeral Home in Simi Valley, California. Those wishing to view the service via livestream are invited to request the link by emailing greg@gregyacoubianlaw.com

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Mario Murrillo Ministries here: https://www.mariomurillo.org/give