Trudy Lynn Van Riper

Trudy Lynn Van Riper
March 7th, 1970 – January 18, 2026

Trudy Lynn Van Riper passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on Sunday, January 18, 2026.
Trudy was born to Dorelle and Arthur Hunter at St. Joe’s Hospital in 1970. She was raised in Lakewood, Colorado, and graduated from Green Mountain High School in 1988. She spent her childhood rafting the Colorado rapids, backpacking Hidden Lake and the Gore, and hunting the Piney. She often shared stories of her travels, including an epic fifth-grade road trip to British Columbia. She deeply loved the Colorado outdoors and was an avid outdoorswoman and skilled marksman.
Trudy married her husband, Jerry, in October of 1989 and welcomed her first daughter, Brittany, in June 1990. She later welcomed two more beautiful daughters, Cassidy (1993) and Abigail (2000).
Trudy stayed home with her children and homeschooled them through high school. She loved learning and was a voracious reader. She was deeply involved in youth ministry and served for many years as a youth sports coach, youth group leader, and Bible study leader.
At the age of 43, Trudy fulfilled a lifelong dream of going to college. She began pursuing a degree in nursing and graduated at the age of 50, Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. While still undergoing treatment for Stage 4 cancer, she began working as a registered nurse. She cared deeply about healthcare education and took time with each patient, ensuring they understood their care and had the resources needed to advocate for themselves.
In addition to caring for her patients, Trudy was deeply committed to mentoring others in the healthcare field. She had a special heart for training new nurses, recent graduates, and precepting students during their clinical rotations. Having entered nursing later in life, she understood what it felt like to be a new nurse—to be nervous, to have questions, and to need reassurance. She made it her mission to go out of her way to teach, to answer questions patiently, and to support those eager to learn. She was known for her graciousness, encouragement, and willingness to invest her time in helping others grow in confidence and skill.
Trudy was highly creative and, over the years, cultivated many hobbies. She loved gardening and grew flourishing flower and vegetable gardens. She sewed quilts and bags and embroidered hats, shirts, and keepsakes for her grandchildren and friends. She also spent many weekends and road trips shooting Cowboy Action with her husband, Jerry, and her many SASS friends. Whatever the task or hobby, Trudy approached it with determination. She challenged herself to excel and took pride in doing even the smallest things well.
She loved staying up late talking with friends, regaling them with stories from her past. She was funny—deeply, belly-achingly funny.
Trudy gave her life to the Lord in elementary school, and when she became a parent, she committed to raising her children to know Christ. She found countless ways to minister to others through her humor, her warmth, and her work as a nurse. In her final year, she committed to reading the Bible cover to cover, spending the quiet hours of each morning studying God’s word and applying it to her life as a wife, a mother, a nurse, and a friend.

The family requests that if you have memories you would like to share that you would write them a letter to collect at the service.

 In lieu of flowers, the family will be sharing opportunities to donate to scholarship foundations in honor of Trudy’s memory.

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