Melquiades "Carla" Ripley, 67, of Grand Forks, ND died Wednesday, July 3, 2019 at the Altru Hospital, Grand Forks, ND.

Melquiades (Carla) Marie Avila was born in Bulverde, Texas on June 6, 1952 and grew up in East Grand Forks, MN. She worked in the sugar beet fields with her brothers and sisters in her youth and graduated from Sacred Heart High School in 1971.

Carla was a skilled and experienced typist and administrative assistant and worked at UND in several departments over 43 years including the Chester Fritz Library, the Athletic Department, and the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing before retiring in May of 2014.

Family was everything to Carla. She loved her parents and her siblings and talked to them often. She also loved her sons, her daughters in law, and her grandchildren unconditionally and with all of her heart. She loved children and absolutely adored babies. She had a strong maternal instinct and was happiest spending time with and caring for babies, children, and pets. Carla especially loved her loyal cat, Faith whom she called Mama Girl.

Throughout her life she enjoyed fishing and scouting for deer, and loved going dancing and watching UND hockey with her husband, Jim. She also enjoyed traveling and visiting her sons in Minnesota and New Hampshire.

She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

In Lieu of flowers memorials are preferred.

Carla is survived by her husband, Jim of Grand Forks, ND; sons, Michael (Kelly) Lopez, of Minneapolis, MN; and Angel Lopez of Manchester, NH; 2 grandchildren, Lindsay and Rebecca Lopez and 1 great-grandson, Landon; siblings, Dolores Vanyo of Larimore, ND, Josephine (Robert) Steele of Hastings, NE, Euesbio (Carol) Avila of Minneapolis, MN, Albert Avila of East Grand Forks, MN and Steve Avila of Littleton, CO. She is preceded in death by her parents; brothers Danny Avila, Pedro Avila Jr.and daughter-in-law Lori Lopez

Funeral Service : 2:00 PM on Wednesday, July 10, 2019 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 200 3 ^rd St. NW, East Grand Forks, MN.

Visitation: One Hour Prior Funeral Service on Wednesday in Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Interment: Calvary Cemetery, Grand Forks, ND.