Giles A. Ripperger

RIPPERGER, FRUEH, DITTMER, HART, LANDERS, KONKLER, SHEA, SMITH, FATINO, MOORE, RAY

Posted By: Ruth McDowell (email)
Date: 10/11/2011 at 18:32:36

Afton Star Enterprise

Giles A. Ripperger, 91, of Ankeny; formerly of Afton, passed away Saturday, May 28, 2011 at the Sunnyview Care Center in Ankeny. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Wed. June 1, 2011 at St. Edward’s Catholic Church in Afton. Burial will be at St. Edward’s Cemetery, west of Afton. Graveside military rites given by the Theodore J. Martens Post # 1797, Creston V.F.W. Open visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, with family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and a Christian Wake Service at 7:30 p.m. at the Powers Funeral Home 612 N. Dodge in Afton. Memorial are to be established in his name. Online condolences may be given under the obituary category at www.powersfh.com.

Giles Anthony Ripperger, son of Michael Joseph Ripperger and Katherine Theresa (Frueh) Ripperger, was born on Feb. 3, 1920 in Lacona, Iowa. He served in the United States Army beginning in July 1942, was a prisoner of war, and was honorably discharged in Dec. 1945. On April 27, 1946, Giles married Mildred V. Dittmer in Afton, Iowa. They lived and farmed south of Arispe, then in 1953, bought his farm north of Afton. Giles moved into Afton in 1980, and retired in 1982. In 1996, they moved to the Des Moines area to live closer to their children. In 2008, they entered the care center. Giles was a member of the St. Edward’s Catholic Church, lifetime member of the V.F.W. in Creston, and received the Governor’s Award for all of his volunteer work with the Senior Citizens. He loved to play cards and bingo.

Survivors include his wife, Mildred Ripperger of Ankeny; three daughters, Patricia (husband John) Hart of St. Joseph, Mo., Linda (husband Mike) Landers and Sandy Konkler, all of Des Moines; 11 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren; one step-great-granddaughter; and one step-great-great-granddaughter; three sisters, Luella Shea of Polk City, Betty Smith of Des Moines, and Bernie (husband Donnie) Fatino of Mission City, Mo. and one brother, Frank (wife Irene) Ripperger of Afton.

Giles was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter, Mary Ellen Smith; five brothers, Marvin, Raymond, Lewis, Donald and Dwayne Ripperger, and two sisters, Marie Moore and Sally Ray.