My Great-Grandfather
On Thursday, June 14, my great-grandfather passed away. Raymond Ephrem Rippy was born in Charletson in 1911 and was 96 years old. The last time I saw him in person was three years ago when he spent father’s day with my family in Montgomery, Alabama.
Last summer I was privileged to introduce him to my wife (then fiance), Kristin, through an online web cam. He kept returning to a single question…“How’d you get you such a pretty girl?” PaPa always said that he would live to be 100 years old so that Willard Scott would announce his name on the Today Show. Although he didn’t quite make it to 100, PaPa did make it to the Today Show. On easter Sunday, just two months before he passed away the NBC morning show featured PaPa and his daughter Kai in a special about long distance care-givers.
I am so glad that Kristin and I were able to attend the funeral. His funeral truly felt like a celebration of a life well lived. He was remembered by his friends and family as a man of faith, integrity, patience, and love.
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