Mattie Ginapp, 90

Mattie Lifto Ginapp went to be with Jesus at her daughter's home in Frontenac, Minn., Sept. 5.

She was born at her parents' farm in Pennington Gap, Va., an Appalachian Mountain girl, to Rosa and George Turner, on Jan. 2, 1922. Her mother passed away when Mattie was 7, followed by the passing of her father when she was 13. When she was only 7 years old, Mattie was given to relatives who were school teachers in Harlan and London, Ky. When she was 13, she went off alone to Berea Boarding School and College for underprivileged mountain children where she stayed 7 years, losing all contact with any family members.

In 1942, she met James Lifto at Ft. Knox, Ky., where he was stationed with the Army and she was working at a children's home as a nurse. They married after a brief courtship, and she went to live in Red Wing, Minn. After WWII, when James came home from Europe, they eventually settled on the family farm on County # 1, out by the tannery.

After her sixth child was born, Mattie was saved at age 37. She wrote in her Bible "My goal in life is to get to heaven and take as many as I can with me."

In 1981, Mattie married Ronald Ginapp, who stayed by her side right to the end. Together they traveled the world, played cards, gardened, had many friends, and faithfully supported and attended their church. Mattie's life was dedicated to Jesus first, then her family, and every other person she met. It was expected that she would ask every waitress, every store clerk, every nurse, and every stranger, "Do you know Jesus?" Again in her Bible, she wrote "If you feel inadequate, give it to God. God can do it through you." Mattie was a member of the First Baptist Church in Red Wing for several years. Later she joined Hiawatha Valley Baptist Church, then the New River Assemblies of God for the last 2 years of her life.

Although Mattie had six children, a large vegetable garden, and worked at Red Wing Shoe Factory and later at Reidell, she wrote in her Bible, "1998 - I'm satisfied to the point now where nothing disturbs me."

Mattie was the last of her Turner generation, all of her sisters and brothers having died many years ago.

She is survived by her loving husband, Ron; six children, Rose (Dave) Kendall of Frontenac, Clay (Ruth) Lifto of Fayetteville, N.C., James W. (Shelley) Lifto of Oregon City, Ore., George (Linda) Lifto of Ben Wheeler, Texas, Mary Ellen Pischke of Rochester, and Rick (Dayan) Lifto of North Richland Hills, Texas; 20 grandchildren; and 29 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, James Lifto, in 1999; her parents; and all of her sisters and brothers.

Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at the New River Assembly of God Church, with Pastor Chuck Friemel officiating and Pastor Tom Johnson speaking. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, at Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson - Mahn Chapel, and 1 hour prior to the service at the church. Burial at Hope Cemetery. Pallbearers for the service will be Captain Eric Lifto, U.S. Army; Peter Kendall; Luke Pischke; Phillip Pischke; George Lifto; David Kendall; Matthew Lifto as honorary; Sgt. Ben Lifto, U. S. Air Force, as honorary; and Chief Warrant Officer 3, Chris Lifto, U.S. Army - Afghanistan as honorary.

In lieu of flowers, all donations in Mattie's name are to go to the Gideons International to purchase Bibles.

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