Cornelius Anton Ripps

Cornelius Anton Ripps, born to Aloysius Joseph Ripps and Anna Katherine Wetz on Sept. 12, 1915, worked hard all his life but finally went to his heavenly rest on July 12, 2014. Oldest of six children reared on a farm in south Bexar County, he helped build aircraft during World War II.

He joined the Texas Air National Guard in 1950 and served in Japan during the Korean War. He worked as an air technician in the 149th Fighter Group and retired as a master sergeant in 1975. He married O'Dare Douglas in 1949, and the couple lived in southeast San Antonio.

Following her death in 1971, he married Ann Gribble in 1973 and moved to Lytle, Texas, where the couple was involved in community activities for 38 years. He was a devout Roman Catholic and a member of the Knights of Columbus. He returned to San Antonio in 2011 but moved to the veteran's home in Floresville in 2013.

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Erwin and Aloysius Joseph (AJ), and sister, Eleanor McMullen.

He is survived by his wife, Ann; son, Gregory, daughter-in-law, Noralyn, and their daughter, Mary Lochellen; stepson, Clifford Gribble, daughter-in-law, Yvonne, and their children, Meagan, Clifford Joseph and Jennifer Gribble; sister, Hildegarde Boening; brother, Leonard, and sister-in-law, Doris; many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. and a rosary at 7:00, both at Porter Loring Mortuary on McCullough Avenue, July 17.

Funeral mass will be at 11:30 a.m. at St. Gerard's Church, 1523 Iowa St., and interment in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery at 1 p.m., both July 18.