Florentine A. Ripperda, nee Ratermann, 85, of Trenton, died Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at Highland Health Care Center. 

She was born January 3, 1926 in Breese to Henry J. and Catherine (Feltrop) Ratermann and they preceded her in death. 

Also preceded in death by brothers Alfred, Sylvester, Ralph, Melvin Ratermann; sisters, Alvina Voss, Agnes Detmer; brothers- and sisters-in-law, Victor Voss, Ted Detmer, Mary Louis Ratermann, Norbert and Delores Ripperda, Eugene and Valeria Ripperda, Julian Frey, Paul Rakers, Cyril Ripperda, Robert Ripperda. 

She married Virgil Ripperda November 9, 1949 at St. Dominic Church in Breese and he survives in Trenton. 

Also surviving are her children Judy (Tom) Wolters of Normal, Karen (Ralph) Voss of Carlyle, Brian (Karen) Ripperda of Trenton; 7 grandchildren, Jared (Lisa) Voss of Beaver Prairie, Erika (Mike) Curtis of Brownsburg, IN, Justin (Jill) Voss of Germantown, Jason (Kellen) Wolters of St. Louis, MO, Allison (Ryan) Netemeyer of Aviston, Patric Ripperda and Michael Ripperda both of Trenton; 3 great grandchildren Abby, Alex and Aubrey and anxiously awaiting 2 more great grandchildren; brothers Richard Ratermann , Henry “Bud” (Verna) Ratermann, Jerry (Rita) Ratermann all of Breese; a sister, Olivia (Orville) Landmann of Highland; and sisters-in-law Loretta Frey of Pierron, Johanna Rakers of Trenton, Kathy Ripperda of Breese. 

Florentine retired from the Wesclin School district as a kitchen aide at the Junior and Senior high schools. She enjoyed time with her grandchildren great grandchildren, volunteering, quilting and the coffee ladies. 

Member of St. Mary Catholic Church and Ladies Sodality and an Eucharistic Minister, Trenton VFW Ladies Aux., Honorary member  of the St. Joseph Hospital Aux, she was a past election judge, volunteer for the Red Cross Blood Drives. 

Funeral Mass of Christian burial will be Saturday September 10, 2011 at 10:00 am at St. Mary Catholic Church with Fr. Joseph Rascher officiating. Interment St. Mary Cemetery. 

Visitation will be Friday September 9 from 5 to 8 PM and Saturday September 10 from 8 to 9:45 am at Moss Funeral Home in Trenton. 

Memorials can be made to Mater Dei High school or St. Mary Cemetery Fund and will be received at the funeral home. 

Trenton VFW Auxiliary will hold services Friday at 7:30 PM at the funeral home.