Virginia C. Ripperda, 77, of Aviston, died Sunday, July 5, 2009 at St. Joseph Hospital in Breese. She was born January 19, 1932 in Aviston daughter of Frank and Mary (Kuhl) Wolters. She married Joseph Ripperda on May 18, 1954 in Aviston and he survives in Aviston.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her children, Charles (Tina) Ripperda, Donald Ripperda, and Pamela Powell, all of Aviston, Theresa (Mike) Richter, Kenneth (Karen) Ripperda, Karen (Jim) Astroth and Beverly Ripperda, all of Breese, and Lisa (Scott) Schuette of Highland; eleven grandchildren, Jeremy, Corey, Christopher, and Adam Richter, Mark Ripperda, Shannon Ripperda, Greg and Jenna Astroth, Kevin Schuette and Heather and Benjamin Powell; four great grandchildren, Dylan Ripperda, Kendra Ripperda, Cade Ripperda and Sutton Ripperda; twin sister, Victoria Thole of Carlyle, sisters, Clara Niemann of Breese, Frances Budde of Albers and Jeanette (Edward) Johnson of New Baden; a brother, Leo (Jeanette) Wolters of Aviston; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Rose Wolters of New Baden, Janet Ripperda and Elinor Ripperda all of Highland, Jerome Ripperda of Quincy, Margaret Ripperda of Pocahontas, Catherine Buscher of Aviston, Wilhelmine and Alvin Schroeder of Bartelso, Josephine and Alex Hood of Troy and Mary Ann Brueggemann of Belleville.

She was preceded in death by her parents, twin son and daughter, Gary and Mary Ripperda, in infancy; three brothers, Clemens Wolters, Anthony Wolters and Frank Wolters; two sisters, Annie Niemann and Catherine Wolters, in infancy; brothers-in-law, John Niemann, Vincent Niemann, Anton Budde, Alfred Thole, Herman Buscher, Raymond Ripperda, Edward Ripperda, Clarence Ripperda, in infancy, Alphonse Ripperda, Vincent Ripperda and John Ripperda; and sisters-in-law, Verneida Wolters and Virginia Ripperda.

Mrs. Ripperda was a homemaker, worked at Huber Slipper Co. in Aviston and also worked at Countryside Manor in Aviston as a housekeeper for 10 years and retired in 1996. She was a member of St. Francis Parish and Altar Sodality and the American Legion Post 1239 Auxiliary in Aviston..

Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 at St. Francis Catholic Church in Aviston with Rev. Dan Friedman officiating. Burial will follow at St. Francis Cemetery in Aviston.

Friends may call from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, 2009 and from 8 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 at Hempen Funeral Home in Aviston. There will be a prayer service at 4 p.m. and the American Legion Auxiliary will visit at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or for masses and will be received at the funeral home.