Robert W. Rippelmeyer, 89, of Waterloo, died Jan. 9, 2016, in Waterloo.

He was born June 23, 1926, in Valmeyer, son of the late Raymond F. and Selma Rippelmeyer (nee Pape).

Robert Rippelmeyer took on many community roles. He served as consistory president of St. John United Church of Christ in Valmeyer, board member of the Farmer’s State Bank of Valmeyer, Monroe Service Board member, and director and president of the Monroe County Rural Electric Co-op.

He was elected president of the Association of Illinois Rural Co-ops and was the Illinois representative on the National REA Board. He served as president of the Kaskaskia Port Authority Regional Board, board member of the Monroe Service Board, president of the Waterloo Rotary, of which he was still a member, and member of the Waterloo Masonic Lodge.

He was elected to serve as county commissioner and chairman for 10 busy and sometimes contentious years — during the tornado through Maeystown, the courthouse renovation and the disastrous 1993 flood. He was instrumental in the building of Oak Hill Nursing Home.

During the years through the 1950s and on, he worked with the Lincoln Farm Bureau Farm Management Teams, a University of Illinois Extension effort to advise farmers about business management and bookkeeping practices. After attending classes, he acted as a tax consultant. He figured he filled out more than 10,000 tax returns for farmers in and around Monroe County for Farm Management Services and in his own practice.

And most of all, he was a farmer.

Robert is survived by his wife Doris Mary Rippelmeyer (nee Niebruegge); children Lynn Rippelmeyer, Kay (David) Rippelmeyer-Tippy, Marla (Wayne) Blackstone and Ken (Deborah)  Rippelmeyer; sister Margaret (Herman) Louer; brother Ray Rippelmeyer; grandchildren Eve Tucker, Whitney Tucker, Lucas Richardson, Scott Richardson, Elsa Tippy and Mason Tippy; nieces and nephews Craig Louer, Connie Abert, Terre Schulmeister, Tammi Pieper, Lorri Rippelmeyer and Brad Rippelmeyer; and many great-nieces and great-nephews including Michelle (Michael) Harvey and Michael (Jody) Rippelmeyer.

He is preceded in death by his parents; brother Russel (Helen) Rippelmeyer; sister-in-law Glenda Rippelmeyer; and nephew Marvin Rippelmeyer.

Visitation is Sunday, Jan. 17, from 1 to 3 p.m., at Quernheim Funeral Home, Waterloo.

A Celebration of Life will be held Jan. 17, at 3 p.m., at the funeral home.

As an expression of sympathy the family prefers memorial contributions to the National Parkinson’s Foundation or Oak Hill Nursing Home.