Ripperda, Joseph

Joseph Ripperda, 81, of Aviston, died Friday, January 25, 2013 at St. Joseph Hospital in Breese. He was born January 5, 1932 in Bartelso, son of William and Louise (Bach) Ripperda. He married Virginia C. Wolters on May 18, 1954 in Aviston and she preceded him in death on July 5, 2009. Mr. Ripperda is survived by his children, Charles (Tina) Ripperda of Aviston, Donald Ripperda, Theresa (Mike) Richter, Kenneth (Karen) Ripperda, Karen (Jim) Astroth, and Beverly Ripperda all of Breese, Lisa (Scott) Schuette, and Pamela Powell all of Highland; 11 grandchildren, Jeremy Richter, Corey (Angela) Richter, Christopher (Stephanie) Richter, Adam Richter, Mark Ripperda, Shannon (Sam) Furfaro, Greg (Katie) Astroth, Jenna Astroth, Kevin Schuette, Heather Powell, and Benjamin Powell; five great-grandchildren, Dylan Ripperda, Kendra Ripperda, Cade Ripperda, Sutton Furfaro, and Mason Furfaro; a brother, Jerome Ripperda of Quincy; four sisters, Catherine Buscher of Trenton, Wilhelmine (Alvin) Schroeder of Bartelso, Josephine Hood of Troy, and Mary Ann Brueggemann of Belleville; and sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Janet Ripperda of Highland, Margaret Ripperda of Pocahontas, Clara Niemann of Breese, Elinor Ripperda of Highland, Victoria Thole of Carlyle, Jeanette & Edward Johnson of New Baden, Leo & Jeanette Wolters of Aviston, and Rose Wolters of New Baden. In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by his twin children in infancy, Mary and Gary Ripperda; six brothers, Alphonse, Vincent, John, Raymond, Edward, and Clarence Ripperda; and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Alex Hood, Herman Buscher, Clemens J. Wolters, Anthony Wolters, Frank and Verneida Wolters, Annie and John Niemann, Vincent Niemann, Alfred Thole, Frances and Anton Budde, Virginia Ripperda, and Catherine Wolters in infancy. Before his retirement, Mr. Ripperda was a Machine Operator and Janitor for Jefferson Smurfitt Corporation (formerly Alton Box Board Company) in Highland for 45 years. He was a veteran of the United States Army having served during the Korean War; a member of St. Francis Parish in Aviston, the Breese American Legion Post 252, and the Trenton Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Post 7983. Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Breese with Rev. Patrick Peter officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow at St. Francis Cemetery in Aviston. Friends may call from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday, January 29, 2013 and from 8 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at Hempen Funeral Home in Aviston. The American Legion will visit the funeral home at 7 p.m. on Tuesday followed by the VFW. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or for Masses and will be received at the funeral home.