Aurora Rangel Jaramillo

Aurora Rangel Jaramillo (Sepúlveda), 83, of Topeka, the Oakland neighborhood and Our Lady of Guadalupe parish, passed away Tuesday morning, August 14, 2012 at 10:53 a.m. in the Intensive Care Unit of Stormont Vail hospital surrounded by family and friends. Known as Vita her entire life, she died from complications related to pulmonary fibrosis, a disease she had been battling for the past six years. Vita was born, March 16, 1929 in Topeka, Kansas, the daughter of Tiburcio and Eulogia (Araiza) Rangel, the 8th of 11 children. She married Juan Antonio Sepúlveda in Topeka at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on December 2, 1961. He preceded her in death on December 3, 1963 in San Luis, Potosi, Mexico when he was instantly killed in a car accident while Vita survived, pregnant with their second child. She raised her two boys, Juan Antonio Sepulveda, Jr. and Gary Anthony Sepulveda, as a single mom and widow for many years. She married Guadalupe Gonzalez Jaramillo on December 22, 1990 in Topeka at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church after a long courtship. Guadalupe was her partner for more than three decades, always by her side, and taking care of her every single day for the past six years as she battled pulmonary fibrosis. Family was the center of their lives with Guadalupe and Vita traveling more than 400,000 miles to take care of their kids?moving them back and forth from college and work and family trips?to Massachusetts, Texas, California, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Italy. Another key part of her life was the church, Our Lady of Guadalupe, where she was a member of the Altar Society, the Legion of Mary, La Vela group, and throughout the years helped with La Fiesta Mexicana ? their annual fundraiser. She often volunteered for the Our Lady of Guadalupe School and mentored many young people on the importance of education and completing college. She also spent a great deal of time listening and counseling friends and family. Vita graduated from Our Lady of Guadalupe School in 1944 and Hayden High School in 1949. She sat out a year of school between 8th and 9th grade at the age of 15 convincing her parents to send her to high school. In addition to her first husband, her brothers, Juan, Eduardo, Fidel, Ramon, Jose, and Juan; as well as her sister Maria Dolores also predecease her. She is survived by her three siblings: Felipe Rangel, Carmen (Rangel) Perez, and Tiburcio Jr. (Butch); her husband Guadalupe Gonzalez Jaramillo, her two sons Juan Sepulveda (Teresa Niño) and Gary Sepulveda (Elaine), as well as by her three grandkids, (Juan?s) Michael and Victoria Venegas, and (Gary?s) Christian Sepulveda. She will also be greatly missed by her sister?s (Carmen) family: husband Rudy Perez, daughter Desi (Perez) Gomez, her husband Chris Gomez and their two children: Brianna and Aaron Gomez. Vita will lie in state at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 201 NE Chandler, Topeka, KS on Friday, August 17, 2012 where her family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and a parish rosary will be prayed at 6:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, August 18, 2012 at 11:30 a.m. also at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. Burial will immediately follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery, 801 SW Westchester Road, Topeka, KS 66606. Online condolences and fond memories may be left at www.brennanmathenafh.com.