Submitted by: John C. Monk

Clifton I. Cripe Jr.

Oct. 25, 1931 - Jan. 4, 2010
OSCEOLA - Clifton I. Cripe, Jr., 78, of Osceola, passed away on Monday, January 4, 2010, in St. Joseph Regional Hospital, Mishawaka. Clifton was born on October 25, 1931, in South Bend, to Clifton I. and Dorothy (Smith) Cripe Sr. He is survived by his wife, Mandy of Osceola; three children, Jeanne Lee (Norman) Burggraf of Granger, Richard Cripe of Niles and Michelle (Michael) Furnas of Granger; six grandchildren, Lauralee Rogers, Matthew Furnas and Anthony Furnas, Norman, Katie and Kristine Burrgraf. He is also survived by his mother, Dorothy Gindleberger of Mishawaka; three brothers, Thomas W. (Stephanie) Cripe of Elkhart, Edward (Eleanor) Gindleberger of Kettering, OH, and Dr. Donald (Joan) Gindleberger of Mishawaka; aunt, Annasue Smith of Tucson, AZ; and cousins, Patricia Smith of Tucson, AZ, Sara Umbaugh of Ft. Wayne, IN, Christina Smith of St. Louis, MO, and Bruce Smith of Palo Alto, CA. He was preceded in death by his father, Clifton Sr., stepfather, Wayne Gindleberger, and sister, Beverly Cripe. Clifton proudly served his country in Korea in the U.S. Army before being honorably discharged in 1958. He worked for NIBCO in Elkhart for many years before retirement in 1995. Clifton was avid sports fan, including Penn football, Notre Dame, Baltimore Ravens and the Kentucky Wildcats. A private family service will be held. Chapel Hill Funeral Home, 10776 McKinley Highway, Osceola, is handling arrangements. Donations to be made to the Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250, attn: Gift Processing. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.chapelhillmemorial.com.

Published in South Bend Tribune from January 6 to January 7, 2010