Wilma Louise "Lou" Ippolito

Wilma Louise “Lou” Ippolito of Riverton passed away on Tuesday, December 26, 2017 at Memorial Medical Center.

She was born November 19, 1927, in Riverton, Illinois, the youngest daughter of Jesse and Bertha Gathard. Her mother passed away from pneumonia in 1931 and she was raised by her father and sisters, living with her oldest sister, Grace Dove, until she was married. Lou and her sisters were best friends throughout their lives and not a day went by when she didn’t talk with at least one of them.

Wilma married Vito Charles “Bud” Ippolito on September 16, 1950. They both graduated from Riverton High School in 1945 and had been in the same class together since first grade. Bud preceded her in death on August 18, 2017 after a brief illness and she missed him very much. She was also preceded in death by her parents and nine siblings: Delvan, Malon, Henry and Harold Gathard, Grace Dove, Helen Clem, Becky Zake, Eva Schleyhahn and Bessie Gathard who died as an infant; a brother-in-law, Bill Ippolito and sister-in-law Liz Jockisch; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Wilma is survived by her daughter, Patricia Ippolito Taft, son-in-law, Edwin Ross Taft, grandson Ross Charles Taft, all of Williamsville, and grandson Benjamin Ray Taft of Bloomington. Her brother-in-law, Tom Ippolito and sister-in-law Doris Ippolito of Riverton also survive, along with several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Wilma lived with her oldest sister Grace and her husband Bill Dove for several years while she was in school and before she married Bud. She had a very close relationship with their children–niece Connie Ferguson of Rochester and nephew Bill Dove of Greensboro, North Carolina—and their children and grandchildren. Lou considered them all to be part of her immediate family.
After working as a bookkeeper for several years at Bunn Capital, Capital Press Services and the Village of Riverton, Lou went back to work full time after her daughter was raised. She worked at the Illinois State Lottery and the Illinois Department of Revenue until she retired in the Fall of 1992 to care for her new grandson, Ross. Bud and Lou became even busier grandparents when their second grandson was born in 1994.

Lou was a generous, loving and forgiving soul who loved her family more than anything and her home was the center of family gatherings for many years. There were always relatives and friends stopping by to visit. She also enjoyed collecting music boxes, antique glassware and going to the Riverboat with her sisters and Bud.

Graveside services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 3, 2018 at Camp Butler Cemetery with Reverend Jim Isaacson officiating. A memorial mass will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be made to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) or Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.