Judy Ann Rifenberg

Date of Death: July 14, 2026

Service Details

Her family will receive friends Tuesday, July 28, 2026 beginning at 10:00 a.m. at Hohner Funeral Home, 1004 Arnold St., Three Rivers. A memorial service will follow at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home with Rev. Derl Keefer officiating. She will be laid to rest in Poe’s Cemetery.

Obituary Notice

Judy Ann Rifenberg, 81, of Three Rivers, passed away Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at her home surrounded by her loving family.

She was born February 9, 1945 in Detroit, the daughter of Frederick and Gwendolyn (Morgan) Stafford.

Growing up in Berkley, Mich., the oldest of four siblings, Judy was known as “The Boss.” She loved playing in her neighborhood and playing baseball. She was proud of being a Girl Scout and of being one of the only girls on the debate team. And she enjoyed spending summers with her Grandpa and Grandma Tucker, parents of her birth father Robert Tucker, who lost his life in World War II.

While attending Albion College, she met Gary Rifenberg, who would become her husband and best friend. Despite the relationship getting off to a rocky start when he called her the wrong name on their first date, he soon asked for five more dates and they exchanged marriage vows on June 24, 1967. Together they enjoyed entertaining friends, playing bridge, and dining out in Three Rivers and Kalamazoo. The couple also enjoyed reading and traveling, with Captiva Island, Fla. a favorite destination. They regularly returned to their alma mater, Albion College, for class reunions, and Judy served on its alumni board.

Shortly after their marriage, Judy went to the University of Michigan Speech Lab, where she studied to be a speech therapist working one-on-one with stroke victims who suffered from aphasia. She worked successfully in this field for seven years in addition to being a stay-at-home mom to daughters Joy and Jill. Then, when her mother-in-law Peggy Rifenberg passed in 1984, she became the bookkeeper for Gary’s company, Rifenberg Insurance. She enjoyed having a pulse on what was going on in the business, and it helped establish her in the Three Rivers community.

Faith played a tremendous role in her life, and she was actively involved in the First United Methodist Church. As a Sunday School teacher along with Anne Rohrer and a youth group leader along with Gary, she gave young people guidance in life. As a member of the United Methodist Women, she organized the annual Swiss Steak harvest dinner. As a crafter, she and Mary Kay Todd made popular Winnie the Pooh stuffed animals for the church fair.

Judy was the Coupon Queen, always finding ways to earn refunds and rebates, and did well enough to surprise her daughters with $1,000 each. She also enjoyed bowling – founding a team called “The Premiums” – as well as playing mah-jongg and bridge.

But most of all, she loved her family. As a mother, she was a member of the Hoppin PTO and could frequently be found at her daughters’ band and sporting events. Later, she became an incredible grandma, holding “Camp Fudge” for her grandchildren each year. Most recently, she became “Babka” to a great-granddaughter.

Remaining to cherish her memory are her daughters, Joy (Jason) Scott and Jill (Chris) Katsaros; grandchildren, Jacob (Emma) Scott, Darby Scott, Taylor Katsaros (Matt) Roberts, and Nicklas Katsaros; great-granddaughter, Abigail Ann Roberts; brother, Randy (Maggie) Stafford; sister, Denise (Bill) Zeidler; sister-in-law, Shirley (Carl) Featherstone.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gary Rifenberg, on Dec. 3, 2025; and sister and brother-in-law, Barb and Bob Thomas.

Additional Information

Donations in Judy’s memory may be directed to the Three Rivers Band Boosters. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.

Please Leave Your Condolences

When your condolences are submitted they will not display until approved by the Hohner staff for appropriateness out of respect for their memory. They should appear within 24 hours or less. Thank you for your understanding.