Rose Marie Kimlinger

Rose Marie Ripka Kimlinger, 82, was born in St. Paul, Minnesota to the late Rudolph Ripka and Clara VanderHeyden Ripka. She passed away on February 24, 2023, in Bradenton, Florida. Rose married her beloved husband Ron Kimlinger in 1960, and raised five children in St. Paul, Minnesota and Arlington Heights, Illinois, before moving to Gainesville, Florida. She worked at Arlington Toyota in Illinois and at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where she was a professorial secretary in the IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences and where she developed her love of all Florida Gator sports. She attended many football, basketball, volleyball, softball and gymnastic events. Rose's faith was very important to her, and she was a member of the local Catholic Church wherever she lived. She spent many years as the Queen of Peace Parish Coordinator for the Gainesville Family Promise Program, providing room and board to families in the community who need help getting back on their feet. She was also an avid gardener and was very active in the Gainesville Garden Club, spending many hours as their historian archiving past years' activities. She will be missed by all those that knew her. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Ron; she is survived by her five children Dave Kimlinger (Darlene Rogers), Island Lake, Illinois; Mary Kimlinger, Bradenton, Florida; Bob Kimlinger, Ft. Myers, Florida; Joe Kimlinger (Sheila Manion), Shiloh, Illinois; and John Kimlinger (Debbie Allen), Gainesville, Florida. She also had many adoring grandchildren and great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a contribution to Family Promise of Gainesville (https://www.familypromisegvl.org/) or the charity of one's choice. A memorial mass will be held at 10:00 AM, March 24th, 2023, at Queen of Peace Catholic Community Church, 10900 SW 24th Avenue, Gainesville FL. She will be laid to rest following the service, alongside her husband at Forest Meadows Cemetery on 39th Ave. in Gainesville.