Lewis Ripperger

RIPPERGER, FRUEH, DITTMER, SILVERTHORN, RITTER, NISSEN, FRECH, WEIS, SEALES, SHAY, SMITH, FATINO, VOGEL, MCKNIGHT

Posted By: Ruth McDowell (email)
Date: 10/11/2011 at 18:13:12

Afton Star Enterprise

Lewis Ripperger, Sr., 92 of Afton, died Thursday May 27, 2010 at Greater Regional Hospice Home in Creston. Services will be 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at St. Edwards Catholic Church in Afton. Father Joseph Pins will officiate. Burial will be in the St. Edwards Catholic Cemetery in Afton. Open visitation will be 2-8:00 p.m. Monday, May 31, 2010 at the Powers Funeral Home in Afton, with family receiving friends from 6-8:00 p.m., with a 8:00 p.m. Christian Wake. In lieu of flowers, memorials are to the Union Co. Fair Board or St. Edwards Catholic Church. Online condolences may be made under the obituary category at www.powersfh.com.

Lewis John Ripperger, Sr. was born March 23, 1918 in Bauer, Iowa to Catherine Theresa (Frueh) and Michael Joseph Ripperger. His family moved to a farm north of Afton when he was eight where he attended school. Lewis was united in marriage to Laura Ann Dittmer on June 20, 1939 in Afton. They lived in Afton where Lewis farmed and worked for Donohue Brothers from 1940-1944 and worked for Conservation Corp. Camp. Lewis and Laura moved in 1944 to start farming on their own, where they lived until 1950, when they moved to the "home-place" and lived for the next 32 years. In 1982 Lewis and Laura retired and moved to their home in Afton. Laura died in 1991. On April 17, 1993, he was united in marriage to Mary Jean (Silverthorn) Ritter in Afton, Iowa. Lewis was a member of the St. Edwards Catholic Church, where he served as a trustee for 8 years and was a St. Edwards Cemetery administrator. He also served on the 4-H Swine Committee of Union Co. 3 years and was named an honorary 4-H member and served on the Afton Creamery Board. He served on the Union Co. Soil Conservation Board 21 years, was President of the Union Co. Historical Society for 12 years and also the Union Co. Fair Board President for 12 years. Lewis also helped organize the Afton Care Center facility and served on the board for 13 years and was president for 7 years. Lewis served on the RC&D (Resource Conservation and Development) seven years, was a Three Mile Watershed Board member since the 1950's, Fairview Housing Board for 5 years, Zoning Variance Committee for City of Afton 4 years and helped form and charter the JOY Group for Senior Citizens, Joyful Sparks Preschool Board and worked on making the Joy building a reality. Lewis also was voted 1992 Star of the Year by the Afton Star-Enterprise and won a Shinning Star Award from Governor Thomas J. VIlsack.

Survivors include two sons: Lawrence "Larry" Ripperger of Afton; Lewis "Bud" (wife Peggy) Ripperger of Creston; four step-daughters: Judy (husband Gary) Nissen of Afton; Jane Frech of Council Bluffs; Janice (Dean Weis) Ritter of Afton; Jennifer (husband Neil) Seales of Baxter; one step-son: Jack (wife Patty) Ritter of Afton; two brothers: Giles (wife Mildred) Ripperger of Ankeny; Frank (wife Irene) Ripperger of Creston; three sisters: Luella Shay of Polk City; Elizabeth Smith of Des Moines; Bernadina (husband Don) Fatino of Granby, Mo; 8 grandchildren: Robin Vogel, Regina Ripperger (Joe Cooper), Kip (wife Melissa) Ripperger, La Ray Ripperger (Jim Barr), Tanya (husband Jerry) Weis, Eric (wife Deb) Ripperger, Tina Smith (Don Siddens) and Lori (husband Larry) McKnight; 16 great-grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; 12 step-grandchildren; 15 step great-grandchildren; two former daughters-in-law: Beth McGrath and Lilly Ripperger and many nieces and nephews.

Lewis was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Laura, in 1991, second wife, Mary Jean, in 1998; two sons: LeRoy and LaVerne; four brothers: Marvin, Raymond, Donald and Dwayne and two sisters: Marie Moore and Marcella Ray and one grandson-in-law: Ray Vogel.