Utta Raffelsieper

Utta Brigette Raffelsieper, 82, went to dance in the streets of Heaven on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, while at home surrounded by her family.

Utta was born February 8, 1942, in Nuremberg, Germany, to the late Helene Marianne Roth Fritsche and Wilhelm Ernst Fritsch. Utta came to the States in 1965, and in 1979 married her late husband, Karl Heinz Raffelsieper. She worked as an administrative assistant for Telics Engineering in Fort Mill, SC for over thirty years. She was a lady of elegance who was a hard worker and often exceeded the limits of what one might expect an 82-year-old to be able to do. She loved being outside, planting and maintaining her flower beds, working on word searches, and spending time with friends in Charlotte and her family. She enjoyed her outings with her granddaughter Samantha, going to her favorite restaurants and spending treasured time together. She loved to go shopping and loved going to the beach. Utta, “Oma,” was a selfless wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She had an infectious smile and laugh and left an imprint on the hearts of many. She will be forever dearly missed.

In addition to her parents, Utta is preceded in death by her husband Karl Heinz Raffelsieper; a daughter Daniela Fleenor; a granddaughter Emily Fleenor; a brother Horst Fritsch; and a sister Gisela Fritsch.

Those left to cherish her memory are her sons Norman Ford and John Ford; two sisters Elke Fitzpatrick and Rosie Kohler; two brothers Volker Fritsch and Dieter Fritsch; a granddaughter Samantha Auten and nine other grandchildren Gabrielle Fleenor, Izak Fleenor, Alex Fleenor, Matthew Fleenor, Nathan Ford, Abigail Kerr, Jennifer Ford, Mindy Ford, and Jessica Kipp; a sister-in-law Klare Blechmann; a son-in-law and daughter-in-law Paul and Kerry Fleenor; a mother-in-law Dee Smith; and her four-legged companion Marley, who stayed by her side until the very end.

The family will receive friends from 3:00- 5:00 PM as a Celebration of Life on Monday, July 1, 2024, at Caring Cremations at 609 Highland Avenue SE, Hickory, NC 28602.

Please sign the online guestbook at www.caringcremations.net. The Raffelsieper family has entrusted arrangements to Caring Cremations Life Celebrations and Funerals at 828-855-3350.