Charles Rippley

Charles Louis Rippley, 87, of Fountain City and formerly of Waumandee died on Thursday, January 21, 2021, at Winona Health Clinic in Winona, MN. Charley was born on December 15,1933, in upper Danuser Valley, Montana Township, Wisconsin on the original Rippley home farm to Louis and Joann “Jenny” (Rucinski) Rippley.
Charley graduated from Arcadia High School. He married Adeline Sonsalla on July 7, 1962, at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Arcadia. Together they farmed in Waumandee, Wisconsin. He served in the National Guard, was a member of St. Boniface Catholic Church. He was a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters, Farm Bureau, was a director for Foremost Farms, Garden Valley Coop, served on the Waumandee-Montana Fire Department, Waumandee Lions Club and had been the chairman of the Town of Waumandee.
Charley is survived by his loving wife: Adeline, of 58 years of Fountain City; son: Edward (Laura) Rippley of Waumandee; daughter: Patricia (special friend, Wayne Saathoff) Rippley of Brooklyn Park, MN; three granddaughters: Andrea (Nick Schlais) Rippley, Ella (Erik Twidt) Rippley-Twidt, Anna (John Bragger) Rippley; bother: La Vern (Barbara) Rippley of Northfield, MN; sisters: Elsie (Daniel) Brommer of Waumandee, and Phyllis (John) Sonsalla of Darlington, WI and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister: Mary Lisowski.
Charley had a great love for music, his three granddaughters and anyone he came in contact with. He not only played in the high school band, but more particularly, producing old time polka and waltz music. Early in life he took piano lessons and was able to chord without notes. He progressed to having the ability to accompany another instrument and was often heard playing his accordion. He was often listening to his favorite bands on CD or cassette.
Charley’s granddaughters have many fond memories of farming with Grandpa. He taught them his love of the land and especially his ability to call the cows in from the pasture with his ‘Ca-Bass’. In 2005 the dairy cows were sold and Grandpa would spend days at the farm waiting for the girls to come home from school, just to see his granddaughters.
Charley and Adeline enjoyed traveling to Europe and learning about his heritage and the people he met along the way. He was well known in the Waumandee Area for his welcoming nature and ability to learn about everyone who visited the Waumandee Recycling Center. His dedication to the community and recycling were his top priority on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings.
Friends and family are invited to a visitation on Monday, January 25, 2021, (following COVID 19 guidelines) from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Wozney-Killian Funeral Home in Arcadia. A Private Funeral Mass Will be held at St. Boniface Catholic Church with burial in the Church Cemetery.