Valera Rosalie Fuchs Bippen

MIDLAND Valera Rosalie Fuchs Bippen was born June 13, 1926, in Rosebud, Texas, to the late Alois and Cidonia Kuhn Fuchs and went to her heavenly home on Wednesday, June 12, 2013. Valera attended school at Klattenhoff through the ninth grade and graduated in 1944 from Miles High School. Valera took the first licensed vocational nursing class in Texas. She received her license and pin as an LVN in 1949. Valera married Robert G. "Bob" Bippen in San Angelo, Texas, and moved to Midland in 1952. Bob Bippen and Bob Davis owned a Humble Service Station in Midland from 1952 to 1956. Later Bob Bippen and J.C. Guthrie started Zenith Cleaners & Laundry and operated it for many years. Valera was the first female president of the 55 Plus Dance Club and she served in that role for nine years. Then she managed dances at the Odessa Moose Lodge for the senior citizens. Valera loved helping people, doing arts and crafts and dancing. Valera was also a member of one of the largest recorded families in Texas, the Hoelscher-Buxkemper family. Valera was preceded in death by her husband, Robert G. "Bob" Bippen; her parents, Alois and Cidonia Fuchs of Miles, Texas; her in-laws, Herbert and Gessina Bippen of Bowling Green, Mo.; and her in-laws, Herb and Elsie Bippen of St. Louis, Mo. She is survived by her brother, Winkler B. Fuchs (Lee) of Augusta, Ga.; sister-in-law Loretta Betts of Las Vegas, Nev.; daughter Gloria Robertson; daughter Terry Tucker (Gary); and son Stan Bippen (Jody), all of Midland, Texas. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, Tuesdie Richmond (Cody) of Blanket, Texas, Celeste Dickinson (Jimmy) of Odessa, Texas, Kourtney Taylor (Colby) of Odessa, Texas, Bryan Bippen (Ashlee) of Bradenton, Fla., Samantha Jones of Midland, Texas, Cindy Young (Neil) of Kingwood, Texas, Brad Robertson of Midland, Texas, Mike Robertson (Kelly) of Cumming, Ga. She is also survived by 12 great-grandchildren, Meagan, Brooklynn and Preslee Richmond, Zachary and Lyndsey Carder, Brooke Tucker and Stephen Taylor, Emily and Lynnsey Young, Audrey Oetting and Drew Robertson and soon to arrive Keeva Bippen. Valera is also survived by nieces and nephews Cherie McElligott (Mike) of Washington, D.C., Winkie Hayes (John) of Germany, Merl Fuchs (Phyllis) of San Antonio, Texas, Kenny Betts and Ralph Betts (Christina) of Nevada and Herb Bippen Jr. of China. Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, June 17, 2013, at Lewallen-Garcia-Pipkin Funeral Home & Chapel in Midland, Texas. Funeral Mass will take place at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Midland, Texas. Graveside service and burial will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 18, 2013, in Harriett Community Cemetery in Harriet, Texas (near San Angelo). Pallbearers are Stan Bippen, Gary Tucker, Brad Robertson, Mike Robertson, Bryan Bippen, Jimmy Dickinson, Colby Taylor and Cody Richmond. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice House Foundation Inc., 903 N. Sam Houston Ave., Odessa, TX 79761, 432-580-0067. Funeral service is under the direction of Lewallen-Garcia-Pipkin Funeral Home, 2508 N. Big Spring St., Midland, TX 79705. Family messages and condolences may be emailed to [email protected].