Lyle J. Ripperger

Services for Lyle J. Ripperger, 88, will be Monday, July 26, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at the St. Augustine Catholic Church in Milo. Interment will be at Rosemount Cemetery.

You may join the family by watching the livestream at the following link:
https://my.gather.app/remember/lyle-ripperger

The family respectfully requests the use of masks at the visitation and service.

Family will receive friends on Sunday, July 25, 2021, from 2:00 until 5:00 p.m., at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Milo. A rosary service will follow the visitation.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Milo American Legion or the Milo Fire Department.

Lyle was a man of few words, with a great smile and a big heart. He was married to Charlotte Snuggs on May 11, 1953 right after he completed his two years of service in the United States Army, serving during the Korean War. Charlotte and Lyle were blessed with three children: Chris, Craig, and Connie. Lyle worked at Iowa Pack for several years after being discharged from the service and then worked at the Indianola Sale Barn, all the while pursuing his passion of farming east of Milo. He and Charlotte loved to square dance and would go ballroom dancing every Saturday night. They also loved getting together with family and friends and playing cards, which was always a fun time for the cousins. Charlotte died on May 14, 1984, right after their 31st anniversary.

Although he would always miss Charlotte, he was lucky to find a companion in Carolyn Luick. They spent 34 years traveling all over Iowa, stopping at every restaurant, café, and ice cream shop in the state. They enjoyed dancing, movies, and a fierce card game of Scat. Watching the buffalo at the Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge and seeing all of the Freedom Rocks throughout the state were also highlights of their travels. Lyle always felt fortunate to be treated like family by Carolyn’s family.

Being raised by his parents, Vincent and Agnes, on the farm near Lacona, he always loved the outdoors and farming. He graduated from Lacona High School in 1950 and, after his time in the service, he always farmed even while working other jobs. And when he did retire from farming, he looked forward to being able to help his friends and neighbors with their fieldwork. You would find him nearly every morning at the Milo Casey’s grabbing coffee and a donut, and meeting with the crew.

Lyle liked to have fun and enjoyed going to the casino and was an avid sports fan. He was a die-hard Cubs fan, loved to watch college basketball, and liked to follow the Cyclones.

Lyle was a loyal and longtime member of the Milo American Legion and was honored in 2017 with a trip to Washington D.C. on the Honor Flight. Lyle passed away on Wednesday, July 21, 2021.

He will be greatly missed by all who knew him, including his children: Chris (Christine) Ripperger, Craig (Deb) Ripperger, and Connie (Jay) Kent; 8 grandchildren: Sean (Mosheh) Ripperger, Erin (Tony) Fuqua, Lynn Ripperger, Cari (Miguel) Mendez, Leah Ripperger, Nicole (Josh) Warrick, Cody Kent, and Emily (Torey) Mason; 4 great grandchildren: Harmony Fuqua, Brody Mendez, Adrian Mendez, and Lilly Chasteen; along with siblings: Mary Ann Scheve, Janet Schaefer, Dwight (Carmaleen) Ripperger, Darlene Day, and Darrell (Julene) Ripperger; extended family: Janet (Dean) Van Ryswyk, Chuck Bartholomew, and Joe Bartholomew and their families; and many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

Preceding Lyle in death were his wife, Charlotte; sisters: Erma Compton and Lola Manser; granddaughter, Hope; and companion, Carolyn Luick.