Martha Ott (Ripberger), an Area Resident, Dies at 86

Martha Ott (Ripberger), a lover of this life and the next, passed away peacefully at home in her sleep of complications from Parkinson's and dementia on September 17, 2017.

Martha, the eldest of five children to the late Anton and Rosa Ripberger, was born on December 5, 1930 in Grossheubach am Main (Kreisstadt Miltenberg am Main) Germany. Martha arrived in America in 1952 and waited for husband to be, Richard, to come over in 1955 as his mother forbade him from coming until well after the Korean War ended. She married Richard in the Bronx in 1956. They moved to LaGrangeville shortly thereafter and lived with neighbors while they built their family home. While raising their son, she worked as his bookkeeper in his home construction business. After her husband passed in 1973, Martha earned her GED and put herself through Dutchess Community College and graduated with her applied accounting degree with honors in 1980. She was the first in her family to graduate college.

Martha worked as a bookkeeper for many local businesses including Lafayette's Electronics and Hans Schneider's Used Cars. She most especially enjoyed her tenure at Holiday Hills YMCA Conference Center in Pawling, NY. She celebrated her retirement from there with a trip to visit Italy and family in Germany with her son in 1996.

Martha is survived by her son, Richard; her sister and brother-in-law, Luise and Ernst Schumann; her brother and sister-in-law, Erich and Chrystal Ripberger; brother-in-law, Walter Pegoretti (Theresa); brother-in-law, Raymond Reinhardt (Hildegard); sister-in-law Annette Ott (Anton); 3 nieces and 12 nephews; plus special friends, Irmgard and Elsie who also emigrated from the old home town, and many long time neighbors and friends. Martha was predeceased by her brothers and sisters-in-law, Helmut and Hildegard Ripberger, Dieter and Doris Ripberger and Frieda Ott.

Martha was a passionate cook and baker and enjoyed entertaining and socializing. Besides her family and friends, Martha loved meeting new people, visiting her "second home" of New York City, traveling through Europe, Morocco, China, Canada and about 40 US States. She often said if it were not for her, the family never would have gone anywhere.

The family would like to especially thank Hudson Valley Hospice and all her loving aides who cared for her over the last 5 years and Mary and Kaitlyn for making in home compassionate care come to life.

Calling hours will be held on Tuesday from 4-7 pm at the McHoul Funeral Home, Inc., 895 Route 82, Hopewell Junction. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Wednesday at 10 am at St. Denis Church followed by burial at St. Denis Cemetery.

Donations may be made in her memory to Hudson Valley Hospice Foundation. Please visit Martha’s Book of Memories at www.mchoulfuneralhome.com.