Marriage of Fridlington / Ripkey
Ames Tribune, Ames, Iowa, December 11, 1959.
1959 John A. Ripkey and Norma Elaine Fridlington were married on November 25 in Dallas, Iowa. [1]
Miss Fridlington Bride of John A. Ripkey
Norma Elaine Fridlington, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Fridlington, Dallas and John A. Ripkey, son of Mrs. Iva Ripkey, 1417 Kellogg Ave.; were united in marriage at the Methodist Church in Dallas. The Rev. Carrol Robinson, Columbia, performed the ceremony Nov. 25.
The bride given in marriage by her father, wore a gown of white taffeta brocade. Her veil was held by a crown of silk net and pearls.
Mrs. George Karaidos, Des Moines, was Matron of honor. The bridgegroom was attended by his brother-in-law, James Shuey, Gilbert.
A reception was held in the church dining room, following the ceremony.
The couple will live in Cedari Falls where both are attending lowa Falls State Teachers Colleye..
2005 The Urbana Grace United Methodist Church Forum, Mar 2005 reported,
Over the years, Grace has attracted several Iowans. (Perhaps it's our corn patch.) In 1996, Iowa native, Norma Ripkey, began attending Grace. With all of her children grown and no longer living in Iowa, Norma wanted to move closer to some of them. She decided to leave the stress of her administrative job and, when a job opened up in the Champaign-Urbana area, she moved here where her oldest daughter, Beth Morgan, and family lived. The Morgans were already Grace members and Norma liked the family feeling of the smaller church.
Norma was born and raised in Marion County, Iowa. She attended Iowa State Teachers College at Cedar Falls where she earned a BS in Vocational Home Economics. During her senior year, she married a fellow soon-to-be-teacher. The family eventually settled in Boone. Norma has quite a work background including teaching, babysitting while at home when her children were small, clerical work, and doing telephone surveys. Later, she returned to college and earned a Specialist Certificate in Long Term Care Administration and has done everything in that field from nurse aide, activity director, cook, and administrator. Today, Norma works at First United Methodist Church in Champaign as a secretary/receptionist.
At Grace, Norma has sung in the Chancel Choir, been wedding coordinator, and served in several ministry areas. One of the most visible and appreciated areas has been her work with the Altar Guild.
Norma does various crafts. She especially enjoys sewing and has an alteration and repair business she runs from her home. She plans to retire in three years and looks forward to traveling. With five children (Her three sons are in the military and move every few years.) and nine grandchildren living in seven states, as well as her siblings in three states, Norma has quite a variety of places to visit.
Two years ago, Norma became involved with the United Methodist Primetimers. She said, "I had gone on several mission trips in 'my younger days' and am thrilled with the opportunities presented by the UM Primetimers." She has been on Primetimer mission trips to North Carolina and to Southern France. The United Methodist Women were fortunate to have her share her experiences. Norma is very enthusiastic about the work this group does and said, "If you don't know about Primetimers, ask me!!"
2013 John A. Ripkey died on December 2 in Mesa, Arizona. An obituary states, [2] [3]
John A. Ripkey, 79, formerly of Boone, passed away in Mesa, Ariz., on Monday, Dec. 2, 2013.
He was born on May 18, 1934, in Gilbert, the son of John J. and Iva Evelyn (Kersey) Ripkey. John graduated from Gilbert High School in 1952. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving from 1953-57. He graduated from Iowa State Teacher's College (UNI) in Cedar Falls in 1961 and taught at Boone High School for a number of years. He also owned and operated the Aluminum Products Company in Boone before retiring.
He is survived by three sons, John Mark Ripkey, of Portland, Ore., Brad Ripkey, and wife, Betty, of Costa Rica, and Steve Ripkey, and wife, Tracy, of Washington, D.C.; two daughters, Beth Ripkey-Morgan, of Lamont, and Rebecca Fraetis, and husband, Pete, of Boone; 10 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; four sisters, Velva Hogfelt, and husband, Jim, of Rockford, Ill., Virginia Otto, of Indian River, Mich., Theda Gammon and Vera Ripkey, both of Ames; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Marie Ripkey and Arlene Shuey.
John's wishes were to be cremated.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, at First United Methodist Church in Boone, with the Rev. Sarah Karber officiating with presentation of the flag by the Naval Operation Support Command of Des Moines.
Immediately following the memorial service, the family will have a time of fellowship in the Church Fellowship Hall to greet friends and have refreshments.
Interment will be at a later date.
Those wishing to express their sympathies through a memorial may direct their gift to the Boone County Sportsman Club or to the family in care of Rebecca Fraetis, 781 Kale Road, Boone, IA 50036.
Stark-Welin Funeral Directors in Boone is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.starkwelin.com.
2024 Norma Elaine Ripkey died on September 13. An obituary states, [4]
Norma Elaine Ripkey Obituary
Norma Elaine Ripkey, 86, of Boone, Iowa, passed away at Westhaven Community in Boone on Friday, September 13, 2024. She had been a resident of Westhaven Community since May 2023.She was born on November 26, 1937, in Mahaska County, Iowa, the daughter of Thomas Anthony Fridlington and Daisy Belle (Musgrove) Fridlington. Norma was a graduate of Melcher-Dallas High School and then graduated from Iowa Teachers College in Cedar Falls, and had an associate degree in Nursing Home Administration.
She was married twice in her lifetime. First to her college sweetheart, John Ripkey, for 25 years, with whom she had five beautiful children. Later in life, she married Vernon Matthews of Hudson, SD, where she fulfilled her dream of tending a large garden and country home, reminiscent of her upbringing in rural Iowa, where her dad was a farmer. She was preceded in death by both former spouses.
Norma enjoyed traveling extensively during her years. She visited Europe to seek out distant family in England, on mission trips in France and Mexico, and vacations to Hawaii, Alaska, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and all over the United States and Canada.
She also enjoyed several hobbies and was quite talented. She enjoyed quilting for family members and others and the social aspects of the quilting community. Sewing has been a lifelong skill that served her and her family for decades. She enjoyed being a homemaker and volunteer while her children were young and transitioned to working outside the home once they were in school. She was also a Master Gardener, a certified Nursing Home Administrator serving at Ledges Manor in Boone, and a designer and decorator.
One of her simpler pleasures was driving through Ledges looking for deer and wildlife while eating ice cream.
The United Methodist Church was prominent in her social life and career. She worked and was a member for a number of her years both in Boone and Champaign, Illinois. She also enjoyed attending the First Presbyterian Church in Boone.
Norma was dedicated to her church and family throughout her life. She lived in many places and created many friendships along the way. Norma was admired by her children who watched her triumph over the many hardships she encountered in life.
She is survived by her sons: John Mark Ripkey of Portland, OR, Bradley James Ripkey of St. Petersburg, FL, and Steven Anthony (Tracy) Ripkey of Center Sandwich, NH; daughters, Elisabeth Ann Morgan of Boone, IA, and Rebecca Sue Fraetis of Boone, IA; 10 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and aunt, Frieda De Haai.
Visitation with the family present to greet friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 19, 2024, at Schroeder-Stark-Welin Funeral Home in Boone. Memorial services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 3, 2024, at the First Presbyterian Church in Boone.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to the family to be used towards charitable organizations in Norma's memory.
Schroeder-Stark-Welin Funeral Home, 515-432-4550.
[1] Ames Tribune, Ames, Iowa, December 11, 1959, page 3, [NewspapersClip].
[2] Ames Tribune, Dec 11, 2013, [URL].
[3] U.S., Cemetery and Funeral Home Collection, 1847-Current, [AncestryRecord].
[4] Schroeder-Stark-Welin Funeral Home, 609 7th Street, Boone, IA 50036, [URL].