Mary Jane Hartel Ripkowski passed away peacefully on March 14, 2026 at the age of 98. She lived her entire life in Liberty County, where she touched the lives of countless residents as a teacher, drill team sponsor, drivers education instructor, volleyball and track coach, and devoted family matriarch.
Mrs. Ripkowski left this world surrounded by family in her home of 63 years, on the same block where she lived for 90 of her 98 years, in the town she could never leave.
She was widely known in Liberty as “Mrs. Rip,” while friends and family called her Janie. But the name she wore most proudly was “MeMe,” bestowed upon her by her many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and more nieces and nephews than she could count.
Fittingly born on Thanksgiving Day — Nov. 24, 1927 — Janie was perhaps happiest each fall when family and friends gathered at her home on Milam Street to celebrate Thanksgiving and mark another of her many trips around the sun.
Janie spent her early childhood in a white frame house in Hull, Texas. She was the oldest child of Arthur John “Artie” Hartel, Jr., a successful country banker known for lending people money from his own pocket, and Blanche Riviere Hartel, a school teacher, community volunteer and accomplished musician.
In Hull, where Mr. Hartel was president of the Hull State Bank, Janie and her two younger siblings, sister Joe Ann Hartel Root and brother A.J. “Jack” Hartel III, began their lifelong love of football as fans of the Hull-Daisetta Bobcats. After their father became president of the First Liberty National Bank in 1939, the family moved into the red brick home at the corner of Milam and Trinity in Liberty and became lifelong Liberty Panther fans.
Janie adored her younger siblings and often admitted she followed their lead — except when it came to their somewhat wilder habits. Try as they might, Jack and Joe Ann never convinced Janie to drink or smoke cigarettes with them. She stayed true to her principles throughout her life. She never drank “that devil water,” never smoked, and never cursed. Her drink of choice was a Dr. Pepper with a little lemon. Her therapy of choice was riding her bicycle, which she continued to do until she was 92 years old.
Janie was a devout Catholic whose faith sustained her throughout her life. For two years she attended Incarnate Word College, then an all-girls Catholic college in San Antonio. She was homesick every day. While there, the nuns asked if she wanted to become a nun. She replied, “Oh sister, I could be a nun during the day, but I’d have to go home to my mother at night.” Family lore recalls that when she called home to Liberty, she would only manage to utter a single word, “Mama?” before breaking down into tears.
Janie never missed Mass or a holy day of obligation. She gave up chocolate for Lent every year for more than 90 years, a sacrifice she believed strengthened her relationship with the Lord. Though tempted with a chocolate-covered donut just two weeks ago by her granddaughter, she kept her Lenten promise until the end.
Janie graduated from Sam Houston State Teachers College in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science degree and promptly returned home to her childhood home with her parents and siblings. She worked at First Liberty National Bank (affectionately known in the family as “The Bank”) for seven years alongside her father. These were among the happiest times of her life.
Tragically, she lost both her mother and father within a span of three years in her mid-twenties and missed them dearly throughout the rest of her life. She kept her parents’ legacy alive by sharing so many stories of them with her children that they all felt like they actually knew Blanche and Artie. To the day she died, she could still get teary-eyed when speaking of her mother and daddy.
Janie married the love of her life, Herman Ripkowski, in 1954. Their marriage lasted 53 years until his death in 2008. In 1963, Janie and Herman built a home next door to her childhood home where her sister Joe Ann still lived. When her brother Jack married Laura Jane Finley in 1957, the couple built their home just across the street. Thus was born the beloved ‘Rip Root Hartel’ generational family compound, where Janie and her two siblings reared their children together, around the cornerstone family home.
Eleven first cousins grew up in this compound like brothers and sisters. Janie taught them how to ride a bike, how to drive a car, and many times took them to the emergency room for childhood bumps, scrapes, and occasional broken arm. She could always be counted on to be there, her car ready with a full tank. Doors weren’t locked, no one had to knock before entering. This extended family shared countless Sundays, holidays, birthdays, graduations, and weddings together. The most beloved tradition at every event was the “Hook’ em” family picture, a ritual that remains to this day.
Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday and often fell on her birthday. Early on, the families rotated houses for Thanksgiving dinner amongst the Rips, Roots and Hartels. Everyone brought their favorite dishes. MeMe was famous for getting distracted visiting with loved ones and occasionally burning the rolls. She continued this Thanksgiving tradition at her house after her siblings passed, hosting up to 50 or more family and friends. The meal was served buffet-style on fine Chinet paper plates with her cherished sterling silver flatware. The more people who came, the happier she was. Not long ago she reflected that she had lived the perfect life, one filled with family and love.
When her four children were old enough to attend school in 1970, she began her career as an educator. She first taught at Sam Houston Elementary and Liberty Junior High before joining Liberty High School. Over the course of forty years she served as a PE teacher, volleyball and track coach, driver’s education instructor, and teacher of health and special education. Yet nothing brought her greater joy than her leadership of the town’s famed drill team, the Liberty High School Panther Prancers.
Mrs. Rip was the Prancers’ sponsor and guiding spirit for 29 years. She expected the girls to master their dance routines, and insisted they understand the rules of football. Smoking, chewing gum, or cussing while wearing the Prancer uniform brought swift demerits. She liked to say chewing gum reminded her of cows chewing their cud. Many former Prancers still don’t chew gum – or they swallow it quickly – when they see Mrs. Rip. To this day, any former Prancer can easily recall her favorite saying: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”
In those 29 years, she missed only one football game – to attend her nephew’s wedding in the south of France.
Upon retiring, Mrs. Rip was given a lifetime pass to all Liberty sporting events. However, she never gave up her four football season tickets and she shared them freely with her family. She rarely missed a Panthers football game and loved watching her Prancers at halftime. Even in retirement, she coordinated the Homecoming Court halftime presentation until the remarkable age of 96.
Sports remained one of her greatest passions. She particularly loved football, baseball, basketball, softball and volleyball. She would often say, “You better know sports in this family!” She loved all Liberty teams, the Houston Astros, the Houston Rockets, and above all, her beloved Texas Longhorns.
After sports, Janie loved Liberty parades. Her first appearance came in 1929 at the age of 2 when she rode a float in the Liberty TVE Baby Parade. She later served as Queen of the Rotary Club in the 1941 TVE Parade. She proudly walked beside floats carrying her children in the TVE Baby Parades. During her 29 years as Prancer Sponsor, she joined her beloved Prancers in the parades. Later, she watched with joy as her grandchildren and great-grandchildren took part in Liberty parades.
In December 2025, at 98 years old, Janie was honored to serve as the Grand Marshal of the Liberty Christmas Parade. Bundled up in her coat, she led the parade in a sleigh with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved seeing so many of her former students, friends and family along the parade route as three generations of her family led cheers of “We love MeMe!” and “Merry Christmas!” A fitting tribute to a Liberty legend, this would be her final parade.
Throughout her life, Janie could not tolerate being late. She was known to tell her sister that events started an hour before they actually did just to ensure punctuality. While she enjoyed attending parties, socializing, and the occasional short trip, there always came a time when she had been away from her corner of Milam Street long enough.
“It’s time to go home,” she would say, clapping her hands together.
Janie has now made her final journey home to the loving embrace of Jesus. She leaves behind family, friends, and a community that will miss her dearly. All will cherish the memories of this strong, loyal woman who lived for nearly a century devoted to faith, family and service.
Mary Jane Hartel Ripkowski was preceded in death by her husband, Herman Edward Ripkowski and her son, Artie Ripkowski.
She is survived by her son David Ripkowski (Natalie); daughters JoBeth Maxwell (Steve) and Amy Jane Boles (Russell); grandchildren Alan Boles (Lakin); Justin Boles (Emmie); Nicole Riviere Shealy; Austin Shealy (Caroline); Brad Ripkowski (Andrea); Heather Rawls (Cory); Amber Wilson (Leon) and great-grandchildren Heidi Jane, Travis, Amelia Jane, Brooks, Danilynn Jane, Lainey, Carson, Chase, and Marshall. She is also survived by her cherished nieces and nephews of the original 11 cousins, Judi Cross, Suzy Schilling, Joey Root (Polly), Jay Root (Corine), Laurie Vaught McKelvey (Paul), Angie Patterson (Blake) and Jackie Jane Smith (Ray), and their many children and grandchildren.
Mrs. Rip would be pleased if memorial donations were made to LISD Education Foundation, Attention Brandon Davis, Mrs. Rip endowment, 1517 Trinity St., Liberty, TX 77575 or the Immaculate Conception Church Bereavement Fund, 411 Milam St., Liberty, TX 77575.
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