August 5, 1975 - April 13, 2025 WOOD RIVER — Matthew C. Ripp, 49, of Wood River, passed away Saturday, April 13, 2025, at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Neb. Graveside services will be 10 a.
m. Monday, April 28, 2025, at the Kearney Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to St.
Jude Children's Research Hospital. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.
com . Services are entrusted to O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services. Matthew was born August 5, 1975, in Casper, Wyo.
, to Robert L. and Linda (Laughlin) Ripp. He grew up in Wray, Colo.
, where he attended school until the family moved to Grand Island, Neb. He later graduated from Grand Island Central Catholic High School. Matt also attended and graduated from Chadron State College.
Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Matt, like his dad, liked to cook. His Jalapeno Poppers were the greatest. Matt had just begun working for the Hershey Co.
as a sales representative. This provided him a perfect way to play a joke on his older brother, Rob. So for Rob's 59th Birthday, he sent him a five pound Hershey Bar.
On the weekends he worked at MNO Grocery Store in Wood River. Left to cherish his memory are his children, Madison, Aralei and Logan Ripp, all of Grand Island; mother, Linda Ripp of Kearney; brothers, Robert (Rhonda) Ripp of Valders, Wis., Scott Ripp of Cozad, Camdyn Ripp of Wood River; sister Jillene (Mark) Carlisle of Albuquerque, N.
M.,; as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins and his little four-legged friend, Buddy Diesel. Matt was preceded in death by his father, Robert; grandparents, Frank and Vivian Laughlin, and Carl and Velma Ripp.
O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services 4115 Ave. N, Kearney, NE 68847 308-234-3500.