ALLEN S. RUPLEY He went to work as a 15-year old in the mailroom of W.R. Grace & Co. in 1917, worked his way up to take the helm as chairman of the vastly transformed company in 1966-71, and served as head of its foundation from 1961 onward. On February 26 this year he departed this life, leaving his wife Juliette and son Professor John A. Rupley of the University of Arizona. Lacking a college education, he put himself through night school and intensive reading at the New York Public Library. By 1940 he had become manager of W.R . Grace's West Coast and Central' American operations headquartered in San Francisco. In 1947 he returned to New York and was named treasurer in 1948-in time to shepherd through the far-reaching changes inaugurated by J. Peter Grace, which changed the old shipping and trading firm into a worldwide industrial giant. While he was chairman, 1966-71, he picked up an interest in the South Street Seaport Museum's historic square-rigger Wavertree. Your editor remembers his searching style in reviewing our plans and progress with the ship-he had scant patience with fakery or shoddy work . He
SEA HISTORY, SUMMER 1983
"He embodied old Mayor W.R. Grace's adjuration to take 'joy in the work."
Allen Rupley, at his work-laden desk in the Grace Building in New York, signs an appeal for the Wavertree proj ect, with co-chairman Jakob lsbrandtsen (back to camera) in 1980. Photo: Karl Kortum.
also told me, over a decade later, on becoming co-chairman of the Wavertree campaign, that he admired the fight people had put up to save the ship, and that he felt such effort deserved to win . " Rup" as he was widely known in shipping and banking circles, was universally admired and could inspire fear and
trembling when he encountered pretence or deceptive dealings in any form . With memorable vigor he embodied old Mayor W.R. Grace's adjuration to take "joy in the work ." His essential kindliness and sympathy with the underdog, or persons working hard in any conditions to achieve things they believe in, were known to his friends , and enriched many lives which touched his. Once I saw him put up with shoddy work ... just once. It was a rainy night when we presented him with the Ship Trust Award aboard the lightship Ambrose at South Street in 1980. He stood patiently while some rather lengthy, I fear, remarks were made (long-windedness was another of his abominations) . Finally, he plucked me by the sleeve and said quietly: "Could we move this thing along, so I don't have to go on standing under this particular leak in the deck?" God bless you , Rup, may you sail on where none but good work meets your eye, and all hands take joy in it. PS
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