1927
Dale
2016
Dale Rippey
November 1, 1927 — May 1, 2016
Memorial Services for Dale L. Rippey, of Albert Lea, will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, May 7, at
Bridge Community Church North, 2016 Bridge Avenue, Albert Lea. The Reverend Clayton Balsley will officiate. Interment will be in Hillcrest Cemetery. Military Honors will be accorded by Albert Lea Veteran's Organizations. Friends may visit with family one hour before services at the church. Bonnerup Funeral Service is assisting the family.
Dale died unexpectedly on Sunday, May 1, 2016 at Thorne Crest Retirement Community. He was 88. He was born on November 1, 1927, in Mondamin, Iowa, the son of Lee S. and Lena J. (Heintz) Rippey. His family lived on a farm near Mondamin and later moved to St. Joseph, Missouri where he graduated from Benton High School. He was united in marriage to his soul mate, Darlyne Martin on May 18, 1946 in Atchison, Kansas.
During WWII, Dale served with the U.S. Army Air Corps as an air traffic controller in Panama. After his military service he farmed in Missouri and then moved to Omaha where he worked 12 years with a construction company. He left the construction business to become involved in full time Christian service. He served at Maplecrest American Baptist Home in Omaha for two years and then in 1975 was transferred to Thorne Crest Retirement Center in Albert Lea where he served for 18 years before retiring. During his years at Thorne Crest he supervised several remodeling projects and the addition of the assisted living wing. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church where he served as a lay leader, deacon, trustee and as the moderator of both the local congregation and Area Five (southern Minnesota and northern Iowa). Dale contributed in many ways in the communities where he lived. While in Albert Lea he had been active in Rotary, the Masonic Lodge, Library Board, Hillcrest Cemetery Board, and the United Way, to name a few. For several years, Dale and Darlyne had volunteered their time at Rainbow Acres, a ranch for adults with developmental disabilities, in Camp Verde, Arizona and they participated on a Missions Trip to Haiti. Dale enjoyed fishing, spending time at the summer cottage, woodworking, playing cards and traveling.
He will be greatly missed by his family, wife of almost 70 years, Darlyne, his sons, Stephen Rippey of Omaha, NE, Stanley (Pam) Rippey of Mound City, MO, Neil (Rhonda) Rippey of Plover, WI, Kevin (Rhonda) Rippey of Ames, IA, daughter-in-law Janie Rippey of Abilene, TX; grandchildren: Scott Rippey, Jodi (Mike) Belcastro, Brad (Erin) Rippey, Jennifer (Scott) Braun, Angela (Nate) Kelim, Justin (Aimee)Rother, Sarah (Ryan) Zimmerman, Nathan (Becki) Rippey, Christy (Tim) McCollough, Kyle (Elizabeth) Rippey, Kim (Gary) Brown, Ladd Webber, Lynn (Jip) Webber; 27 great grandchildren; sister Erma Calva of Houston, TX, sisters-in-law Jayne Rivera of Arlington, TX, Peggy Fairlie of Kansas City, MO, brother-in-law Mike Martin of Higginsville, MO and many nieces and nephews. Dale was preceded in death by his parents Lee and Lena Rippey, his in-laws Mr. and Mrs. George Martin, son Warren Rippey, daughter-in-law Donna Rippey, grandson Curtis Rippey, brothers Lloyd, Donald and Wayne Rippey, sisters Hazel Betts and Helen Hudson.
The quote "Allow your passion to become your purpose, and it will one day become your profession"
is a true reflection of Dale's life. He was truly hands on and lived his life caring about those whose lives he touched.
In lieu of flowers memorials suggested to Thorne Crest Retirement Community, Bridge Community Church or Rainbow Acres.
Bridge Community Church North, 2016 Bridge Avenue, Albert Lea. The Reverend Clayton Balsley will officiate. Interment will be in Hillcrest Cemetery. Military Honors will be accorded by Albert Lea Veteran's Organizations. Friends may visit with family one hour before services at the church. Bonnerup Funeral Service is assisting the family.
Dale died unexpectedly on Sunday, May 1, 2016 at Thorne Crest Retirement Community. He was 88. He was born on November 1, 1927, in Mondamin, Iowa, the son of Lee S. and Lena J. (Heintz) Rippey. His family lived on a farm near Mondamin and later moved to St. Joseph, Missouri where he graduated from Benton High School. He was united in marriage to his soul mate, Darlyne Martin on May 18, 1946 in Atchison, Kansas.
During WWII, Dale served with the U.S. Army Air Corps as an air traffic controller in Panama. After his military service he farmed in Missouri and then moved to Omaha where he worked 12 years with a construction company. He left the construction business to become involved in full time Christian service. He served at Maplecrest American Baptist Home in Omaha for two years and then in 1975 was transferred to Thorne Crest Retirement Center in Albert Lea where he served for 18 years before retiring. During his years at Thorne Crest he supervised several remodeling projects and the addition of the assisted living wing. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church where he served as a lay leader, deacon, trustee and as the moderator of both the local congregation and Area Five (southern Minnesota and northern Iowa). Dale contributed in many ways in the communities where he lived. While in Albert Lea he had been active in Rotary, the Masonic Lodge, Library Board, Hillcrest Cemetery Board, and the United Way, to name a few. For several years, Dale and Darlyne had volunteered their time at Rainbow Acres, a ranch for adults with developmental disabilities, in Camp Verde, Arizona and they participated on a Missions Trip to Haiti. Dale enjoyed fishing, spending time at the summer cottage, woodworking, playing cards and traveling.
He will be greatly missed by his family, wife of almost 70 years, Darlyne, his sons, Stephen Rippey of Omaha, NE, Stanley (Pam) Rippey of Mound City, MO, Neil (Rhonda) Rippey of Plover, WI, Kevin (Rhonda) Rippey of Ames, IA, daughter-in-law Janie Rippey of Abilene, TX; grandchildren: Scott Rippey, Jodi (Mike) Belcastro, Brad (Erin) Rippey, Jennifer (Scott) Braun, Angela (Nate) Kelim, Justin (Aimee)Rother, Sarah (Ryan) Zimmerman, Nathan (Becki) Rippey, Christy (Tim) McCollough, Kyle (Elizabeth) Rippey, Kim (Gary) Brown, Ladd Webber, Lynn (Jip) Webber; 27 great grandchildren; sister Erma Calva of Houston, TX, sisters-in-law Jayne Rivera of Arlington, TX, Peggy Fairlie of Kansas City, MO, brother-in-law Mike Martin of Higginsville, MO and many nieces and nephews. Dale was preceded in death by his parents Lee and Lena Rippey, his in-laws Mr. and Mrs. George Martin, son Warren Rippey, daughter-in-law Donna Rippey, grandson Curtis Rippey, brothers Lloyd, Donald and Wayne Rippey, sisters Hazel Betts and Helen Hudson.
The quote "Allow your passion to become your purpose, and it will one day become your profession"
is a true reflection of Dale's life. He was truly hands on and lived his life caring about those whose lives he touched.
In lieu of flowers memorials suggested to Thorne Crest Retirement Community, Bridge Community Church or Rainbow Acres.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Dale Rippey, please visit our flower store.