Janet Ripplinger

Janet Teresa Ripplinger, age 76 of Bismarck, ND, went home to be with the Lord on Monday, February 2, 2026, at St. Gabriel’s Benedictine Living Community, after battling Parkinson’s for many years and cancer most recently. Mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday, February 10th at 10:00 AM at St. Anne’s Catholic Church, Bismarck, ND. Burial will be held at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery south of Mandan, ND.

Visitation will be held from 5-8 PM on Monday, February 9th at the Bismarck Funeral Home. The Rosary and Vigil Service will begin at 7 PM. Visitation will also be one hour prior to the funeral service at the church from 9:00-10:00 AM.

Janet was born August 31, 1949, in Beach, ND to Frank and Sally (Marcella Theisen) Bares. Janet grew up on a family farm five miles east of Beach. She attended school in Beach and graduated high school in 1967. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in teaching from Dickinson State University in 1971. Janet moved to Flasher and started her career in education.

For over 43 years Janet was an educator. She taught 5th grade at Flasher Public School for 29 years. She continued teaching while working on her master’s degree in administration from the University of Mary. She then served as the elementary principal for an additional 14 years. Janet was a devoted teacher whose true passion was her students. She spent her time offering an extra hand and an open heart to every student who needed a little extra to succeed.

Janet’s teaching career led to her meeting Ervin in Flasher. He offered her a ride home one snowy Sunday after church, they began dating and married on August 12, 1972. They made their home in Flasher and had two children, Stacy and Troy. They were married for 53 years.

Upon retirement, Janet shifted her time to focus on Ervin, her children and grandchildren, attending their events whether faith-based, sports or education. She and Ervin were either heading to Alaska or Bismarck on a regular basis to spend time with the kids and grandkids. She loved celebrating their milestones and would always gift them with a special quilt just as her mother had done. Janet was a faithful Catholic and never missed a Sunday, Holy Day and her faith molded many of her family's traditions and cherished memories. In 2019, Ervin and Janet moved to Bismarck. They resided at the Edgewood Village Assisted Living facility and Janet transitioned to St. Gabriels, where she resided until her death.

Janet was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Marcella Bares; siblings, Helen Fischer, Bob Bares, Irvin Bares, Jean Schulte, Genevieve Bares, Mary Bares, and brothers-in-law, Dan Skorheim and Ervin Emter.

She is survived by her husband, Ervin of Bismarck; one daughter, Stacy (Galen Jr.) Brantley [Galen III (Anya), Emma, Elias] of Soldotna, AK; one son, Troy (Rachel) Ripplinger [Kara, Tyler, Blake, Grant] of Bismarck, ND; two brothers, Leroy (Marina) Bares, Tom (Donna) Bares; three sisters, Marge Emter, Kathleen (Gerald) Goroski, Teresa (Wes) Klippen; two brothers-in-law, Clarence Fischer, Delbert (Sherry) Schulte, and a sister-in-law, Marlene Bares.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in Janet’s memory to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the American Cancer Society, or for her love of teaching to the United Way Backpack Program.

Please join us for fellowship and lunch after the mass. The burial will follow at the Veterans Cemetery at 1 PM.