Eugene Rippee's Obituary
Eugene Bert Rippee, son of Homer and Grace Carter Rippee, was born near Rayborn, Missouri, on December 28, 1924, and departed this life Saturday, October 11, 2008. He attended Lawson grade school, where his uncle Walter Rippee was his teacher through all eight grades. He graduated from Mtn. Grove High School in 1943 and was drafted into the U.S. Army in July 1943. After basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas, and a short stay at Fort Brown, Texas, he went with the 124th Cavalry to Burma. He served in China, Burma, and India until the end of World War II. In 1947, he was married to Ruth Hutsell and they became parents of five daughters. They made their home on a dairy farm near Rayborn except during the 1950’s, when Bert was employed by the Union Pacific Railroad in Rawlins, Wyoming, as a fireman. With the coming of the Diesels, the firemen were no longer needed, so they returned to the farm. When his health began to fail, the farm was sold and they moved to Mountain Grove in 2004. Bert became a Christian early in life and was a charter member of Calvary Baptist Church, later moving his membership to Friendship Baptist Church. He was a faithful member and was an adult Sunday School Teacher as long as his health permitted. He had been a member of the Elmer O. Sellers American Legion Post #45 in Hartville since 1946 and was also a member of the V.F.W. in Mountain Grove. Eugene was preceded in death by his parents; his father and mother-in-law, Leonard and Gladys Hutsell; his brothers, Kermitt Rippee, Guy Rippee, Don Rippee, and his wife, Jeanne; and a grandson, Cristopher Rust. Survivors include his wife, Ruth, of the home; his five daughters, Judy Kemper and her husband, Malcolm, of Mtn. Grove, Missouri, Peggy Rust and her husband, Clyde Jr., of Columbia, Tennessee, Karen Rippee of Mtn. Grove, Missouri; Nancy Staudt and her husband, John, of Nixa, Missouri, and Linda Boll and her husband, Arlan, of Long Beach, California; his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Greg Kemper and his wife, Liz, and their children, Madison, Harrison and Hudson, all of Nixa, Missouri, Nathan Kemper and his wife, Mauria, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Shawna Staudt and her fiancé, Trevin Taylor, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Adam Rust and his wife, Asya, of Lavergne, Tennessee, Reverend Jason Rust and his wife, Erica, and their children, Jordan and Jayda, of Spring Hill, Tennessee; a sister, June Booth of Springfield, Missouri; two brothers, Jay Rippee and his wife, Mildred, of Springfield, Missouri, and Rex Rippee and his wife, Marie, of Pea Ridge, Arkansas; a sister-in-law, Bonnie Martin, of Springfield, Missouri; several nieces and nephews and many dear friends. His greatest joy was when his children or grand and great-grandchildren came to visit. Services will be held at 10:30 am Tuesday October 14, 2008 in the Friendship Baptist Church in Mountain Grove, Missouri. Burial will at 2:00 pm in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield, Missouri. Visitation is Monday evening 6-8:00 pm at Friendship Baptist Church under the direction of the Holman- Howe Funeral Home Hartville, Missouri.A memorial has been established to the Gideon's international or Community Hospice and donations may be made through the funeral home. Return to top
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