Obituary: Janice Margaret Ripp

Janice Margaret Ripp, 92, of Sturgeon Bay, died and was reunited with her husband, Francis, early Wednesday morning, Feb. 21, 2018 at the Door County Medical Center Skilled Nursing Facility with family at her side.

She was born March 7, 1925 in Coleridge in northeastern Nebraska, the daughter of Leo and Lucille (Koch) O’Connor. Janice attended St. Joseph Grade School and graduated from Sturgeon Bay High School in 1943. On March 13, 1944, she was united in marriage to Francis “Fritz” Norbert Ripp in San Diego, Cali. They were blessed with six children and nearly 64 years of marriage. Fritz died Feb. 28, 2008.

For more than 40 years, Fritz owned and operated the Bay Food Market on 4th Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, and Janice was always helping with whatever needed to be done, but above all, she took care of her family and home.

Janice was a longtime member of St. Joseph Parish in Sturgeon Bay, the Christian Mothers, and the Catholic Daughters of America. She loved traveling with mother and sisters. Janice also enjoyed playing cards with her girlfriends, Pat Walter, Maureen Weber, Bette Schram, Bonnie Selvick, Dolly Krueger, and Jackie Meister. Her family loved her strawberry and raspberry jams, and her coffee cake couldn’t be beat – even when others attempted to follow her recipe, it never compared to hers.

Janice’s love will live on in the hearts of her six children, Dan (fiancé, Deb Bailey) Ripp of Naples, FL and Sturgeon Bay, WI, Mary Lu (Jimmy) Norton of Sevastopol, David (Debra) Ripp of Egg Harbor, Tony (Bonnie) Ripp of Sevastopol, Joe Ripp of North Brunswick, NJ, and Tim Ripp of Madison; twelve grandchildren, Randy Ripp, Melissa (Dan) Kishish, and Mike Ackerman, Jeff (Cindy) Norton and Jason (Marissa) Norton, Andy (Carolyn) Ripp, Elizabeth (fiancé, Tomo Hamasaki) Ripp, and Veronica Janice “Bug” Ripp, Becky (Ben) Harmon, Scott (Tracy) Ripp, Nick (Lindsey) Ripp, and Josh Ripp; seventeen great-grandchildren, Jennifer, Allison and Amanda, Kayla, Kathryn “Katie”, and Jacob, Regan and Nicole, Connor, Shelby, and Maggie, Nicholas and Hannah, Wyatt, Lauryn, and Nya and Mila; sister and brother, Darlene Rocque of Green Bay and Ron (Sheila) O’Connor of Green Bay; other relatives; and many dear friends.

She was welcomed Home by her parents; husband, daughter-in-law, Karon Ripp; sister and two brothers, Rita Mae (Jack) Strenski, Dean (Muriel) O’Connor, and Jim (Jill) O’Connor; many siblings-in-law; and other relatives.

Janice’s life was honored with a Mass of Christian Burial Feb. 27, 2018 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Sturgeon Bay with Fr. Anthony Birdsall as celebrant. Janice was laid to rest in the St. Joseph Cemetery Columbarium.

Memorials may be given in her name for DOOR CANcer Inc.

“Our family would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the Skilled Nursing Facility – the whole crew and her granddaughter, Veronica Janice ‘Bug,’ for their wonderful, compassionate care given to Janice.”

Huehns Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Sturgeon Bay is assisting the Ripp family with arrangements. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Janice may be shared with her family through her tribute page at www.huehnsfuneralhome.com.