Richard “Dick” Allen Ripperger

Richard “Dick” Allen Ripperger, Branson, Missouri.

Richard “Dick” Allen Ripperger, Branson, Missouri, formally from Afton and Creston, Iowa area, passed on June 14, 2022 at Cox Medical Center, Branson, of heart failure. Funeral services will be held at Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church in Branson, Missouri on Thursday, July 28, 2022.  Visitation will be held from 9-10 am with a mass following at 10 am. Another church service will be held at All Saints Catholic Church on Saturday, July 30^th in Stuart, Iowa. There will be a 9-10 am visitation with mass following at 10 am. Military/burial services will be at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery at Van Meter, Iowa on Monday August 1 at 9:30 am.  Memorial funds will be given to “Wellness for Warriors” at Cox Medical Center in Branson, Missouri and the Des Moines VA Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

Dick was born on May 2, 1939 at home in rural Afton, Iowa to Raymond Thomas and Reva Arlene (Shawler) Ripperger. He graduated from Afton High School in 1958 followed by an Auto Mechanics School in Kansas City, Missouri. He married Sherry Ann Waltz on November 4, 1961 then was drafted into the US Army in July 1962. After basic training in the states, he was assigned to Schloss Kaserne in Butzbach, Germany.  Sherry joined him in Butzbach and gave birth to their first daughter in 1963.  Dick was honorably discharged in July 1964 as an E3 Sergeant and all three returned to the Creston, Iowa area. The family was blessed to have added another daughter and son to their family. Dick worked as an auto mechanic until 1966 when he started working for VanMark and eventually became foreman. In 1990 Dick opened his own appliance repair shop out of their home and did that until they retired to Branson in 2001. Dick loved to travel, visiting many places in the US and the world with his wife Sherry. Living in Branson, they were also able to enjoy all of the fun and amazing entertainment Branson has to offer. Dick’s true passion was working in his shop and fixing things. If he couldn’t find a part, he would make it.  Dick was well known in the Creston and Branson area for his ability to fix “anything.”

He is survived by his wife, Sherry of 60 years, daughters Jodie Skellenger of Ankeny, Iowa Rosemary Fortner (Jeff) of Elkart, Iowa and son Gail Ripperger (Kathy) of Des Moines, Iowa. He is also survived by two granddaughters: Brittany Skellenger of Castle Rock, Colorado and Abby Ripperger of Des Moines, Iowa.  Two step grandchildren: Kandie Keller (Josh) Hoisington, Kansas and Robbie Fortner of Duluth, Minnesota and four step great grandchildren: Dane Rexwinkle, Aden Rexwinkle, Karter Keller, and Katelin Keller, of Hoisington, Kansas.