Mary Lou Riphahn

MOUNT HOREB - Mary Lou Riphahn, age 89, of Mount Horeb, passed away on Monday, July 24, 2023. She was born on April 18, 1934, to Peter J. Riphahn and Mary E. Horkan, at home, on a family farm outside of Lime Ridge. She was baptized at St. Boniface in Lime Ridge. Mary Lou moved with her parents and younger sister, Helen, to Waunakee, then on to Cross Plains, eventually settling in Klevenville, Wis., where her youngest sibling, Peter Jr., was born. She went to school at St. Mary's Pine Bluff Catholic school, received her sacraments at the Parish Church and attended Mount Horeb High School.

Mary Lou would take the train from Klevenville to Mount Horeb to go to her piano lessons. She was also very proud of her softball playing days representing Mount Vernon and being called "the slugger." Mary Lou liked to bake cookies, sew, try new recipes, and take walks in the countryside - she knew just where to find the wild asparagus in spring. She lived her life with moral purpose. Mary Lou had a quick wit and enjoyed a good joke.

Work was a big part of Mary Lou's life and her love of her church and faith were unshakeable. As a young girl and oldest grandchild, Mary Lou's first job was as a helper to her Grandma Nellie. Her first paying job was as a tour guide at Cave of the Mounds, then she went on to work at Martin Livestock Company, the Gonstad Clinic, and eventually to a career at Sentry Insurance where she worked for over 40 years. Mary Lou couldn't be idle after retiring from Sentry. She volunteered at the Mount Horeb Information Hut, the Mount Horeb Library, the Mount Horeb Historical Society, and was a tour guide at Little Norway. She then went to work again at UW Health in Mount Horeb and eventually moved on to serve as a Parish Secretary for St. Mary's Pine Bluff. She finally and fully retired at the age of 88 years.

Mary Lou was an avid reader on many topics, and she enjoyed engaging in extensive conversations. She learned to speak her mind at important times from her grandfather, Peter Horkan, who she witnessed telling Senator Joe McCarthy directly that he disagreed with him and his work. Like her grandfather, Mary Lou kept most opinions to herself but wasn't afraid to let her points be known when she thought the topic was important.

Mary Lou privately dealt with multiple types of cancers over the years. She believed she needed no help to be able to live on her own but grew a bond, in a very short time, with her caregivers, Kristin, Jodie, Aly and Lex, as well as her Agrace team, DeAnne and Jessica. Joe Connors was instrumental in Mary Lou being able to stay at home as long as possible and took her to church every week while she could still ambulate.

Mary Lou is survived by her brother, Peter Jr. (Carol) Riphahn; niece, Renee Riphahn; and nephew, Peter III (Tamara) Riphahn. She is also survived by her brother-in-law, Norman (Marge) Gerber; and nephews, John (Margit) Gerber, Jeff (Marla) Gerber, Jim (Shelley) Gerber and Jerome (Angie) Gerber. She was preceded in death by her parents, Peter J. Riphahn and Mary E. Horkan; her sister, Helen Gerber; and her niece, Jean Gerber.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Mary of Pine Bluff Catholic Church, 3673 County Road P, Cross Plains, at 11 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, with Father Scott Jablonski presiding. Burial will be held at St. Mary of Pine Bluff Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass on Monday.

Memorial donations can be made to the Mount Horeb Historical Society or Agrace HospiceCare.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson Camacho Mount Horeb

Funeral & Cremation Care

500 N. Eighth St.

(608) 437-5077