Veronica Ripka

Veronica M. "Verona" Ripka, age 88 of Sauk Centre, died Tuesday, August 5, 2014 at CentraCare Health Nursing Home in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, August 8 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre. Rev. Jeremy Theis will officiate with interment following in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Friday at the church.

Veronica Marie Lietz was born February 16, 1926 in Sauk Centre, Minnesota to Albert and Regine (Wiener) Lietz. On May 6, 1947 she married Donald Ripka at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre. The couple farmed until they semi-retired and moved to their home in Sauk Centre. Verona and Don also had a cabin on Lake Osakis and spent many years there fishing and entertaining friends.

Verona was an active member of the Sauk Centre Seniors, Elrosa Seniors, Eagle's Auxiliary, and St. Margaret's Mission Group, as well as St. Paul's Catholic Church and Christian Mothers. She was an avid quilter, hand stitching hundreds of quilts of various patterns with a specialty of wild life quilts. She also loved to fish, spending many hours in the boat with her husband, Don finding the big ones on Lake Osakis.

Survivors include her husband, Don Ripka of Sauk Centre; two sons, David (Linda) Ripka and John (Rose) Ripka; seven grandchildren, Samuel (Kim Holpp) Ripka, Christopher (Corrin) Ripka, Stacy Ripka, Lance (Destiny) Ripka, Amanda Ripka, Heather (James) White, and Mellissa Feekes; sixteen great-grandchildren; brother, Gene (Gin) Lietz of St. Paul; and sister, Marilyn (Orie) Mills of Benson.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Lorraine Kind; and brothers, Ardell and Vernon Lietz.

Serving as casket bearers will be Bill Berg, Dick, Mike, Lance, Sam, and Chris Ripka. Cross bearer will be Mary Kalina and scripture bearer will be Stacy Ripka. Honorary bearers will be Delores Schmidt, Carol Zenzen, Mary Petermeier, Joan Voller, Fronie Moritz, Rita Frieler, Gloria Otte, Marlene Groetsch, Doris Arens, and card playing friends.