Carol Rippe, 72, of Sabetha, KS, died unexpectedly at home December 30, 2019.

She was born in Tuscola, IL, to Charles and Martha (Bernhart) Barr. Her childhood was spent in numerous small towns across the Midwest. After graduating from high school in Paris, MO, she attended Culver Stockton College in Canton, MO, majoring in music theory and piano performance. She later received a master’s degree in music education from the University of Oklahoma and taught for several years at schools in Missouri and northeast Kansas. In 1974, Carol married Ben Rippe in Everest, KS. They lived in Horton and Seneca before settling in Fairview, where they raised their four children and fostered several others. In 2011, they moved to Sabetha. After many years of giving music lessons and homeschooling, Carol became the music teacher at Saints Peter & Paul School in Seneca. She continued to teach private piano students, and was most recently serving as accompanist for the Nemaha Central High School choir.

Always serving others, Carol used her many talents to bless her family and community. Cooking and baking for families, sewing quilts for her grandkids, creating thoughtful gifts for her family and music students, teaching Sunday school, playing piano for church, offering hospitality, and accounting for Ben’s trucking business are just a few examples. A talented musician, Carol played piano, French horn, and several other instruments, and she took great pleasure in helping her music students succeed. She enjoyed reading, game nights, puzzles, word games, trivia and watching KU basketball. Attending symphony concerts with Ben, hearing her son, Austin play the violin, following the latest adventures of her grandchildren, and spending time with her family all brought her special joy. 

She lived for the Lord and dearly loved her husband, her kids, her church family at NorthRidge, and especially her grandchildren. Carol was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Vivian Pinegar. She is survived by her beloved husband of 45 years, Ben Rippe; her children, Shana Dominguez (husband Alex), Amanda Hersh (husband Tim), Brandy Blaske (husband Isaac), and Austin Rippe (wife Daniela); siblings Allan Barr, Wayne Barr (wife Karen), and Pat Howard (husband Louis); brother-in-law, Gene Pinegar; and 9 grandchildren, Emery (wife Pamela), James, Rebecca, Eleazar, Kristianna, and Benjamin Hersh, Sofia and Valentina Dominguez, and Juliet Rippe; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Monday, January 6, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. at NorthRidge Church in Sabetha, KS. Visitation will be Sunday, January 5 from 2-4 pm at NorthRidge Church. The interment will be made in the Albany Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to NorthRidge Missionaries, sent in care of Popkess Mortuary, 823 Virginia Street, Sabetha, KS 66534.