Roy L. Ripley, 83, passed into the loving arms of Jesus Christ on Sunday April 10, 2016 at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center following a long battle with cancer.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Shirley, his daughter Cindy, son Scott, son Rob, 8 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
Roy was born in the small town of Brady, Texas on January 17, 1933 to parents Milton and Hannie Ripley. He was the big brother to 6 siblings: Betty, Eddie, Joanne, Linda, Ronnie and Molly. Roy attended Texas A&M and Texas Tech before enlisting in the US Air Force in 1954. He had a love for airplanes and flying and soon became an Air Force pilot. During the Vietnam War, Roy flew over 100 missions and eventually became a squadron commander. While attending Air War College at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Alabama, he also earned his Master's degree in Public Administration. In the mid-1970s, Roy spent several years serving at the Pentagon in Washington DC, procuring flight simulators for the USAF. He reached the rank of Colonel and his final assignment in the Air Force was serving as Base Commander at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, overseeing the operation of the largest Air Force base in the world. During Roy's long and honorable career, he earned many decorations and service awards. He retired from the Air Force in 1981 after serving his country for 28 years.
Throughout his life, Roy always loved fishing. Some of his favorite days were those spent fishing from a small boat on a river or taking family out on Roy and Shirley's larger boat for a day of fun on the water. And if you lived in Niceville, on most afternoons you would find Roy and Shirley driving around town, enjoying long walks in a park or watching the sun set over Choctawhatchee Bay.
The Air Force song goes, "Off we go into the wild blue yonder, climbing high into the sun". Roy's no longer grounded on this Earth; no longer bound by the limitations of the human body; he's climbing higher now into the blue yonder.
A memorial service will be held to celebrate Roy's life on Friday, April 15, 2016 at 1pm at Crosspoint United Methodist Church in Niceville, FL. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to the Myeloma Institute at the University of Arkansas. Mail donations to: Myeloma Institute, Development Office, 4301 W. Markham # 816, Little Rock, AR 72205. You may go online to offer condolences to the family and sign the guestbook at www.heritagegardensfuneralhome.com.
Published Online in Northwest Florida Daily News on Apr. 14, 2016
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Shirley, his daughter Cindy, son Scott, son Rob, 8 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
Roy was born in the small town of Brady, Texas on January 17, 1933 to parents Milton and Hannie Ripley. He was the big brother to 6 siblings: Betty, Eddie, Joanne, Linda, Ronnie and Molly. Roy attended Texas A&M and Texas Tech before enlisting in the US Air Force in 1954. He had a love for airplanes and flying and soon became an Air Force pilot. During the Vietnam War, Roy flew over 100 missions and eventually became a squadron commander. While attending Air War College at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Alabama, he also earned his Master's degree in Public Administration. In the mid-1970s, Roy spent several years serving at the Pentagon in Washington DC, procuring flight simulators for the USAF. He reached the rank of Colonel and his final assignment in the Air Force was serving as Base Commander at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, overseeing the operation of the largest Air Force base in the world. During Roy's long and honorable career, he earned many decorations and service awards. He retired from the Air Force in 1981 after serving his country for 28 years.
Throughout his life, Roy always loved fishing. Some of his favorite days were those spent fishing from a small boat on a river or taking family out on Roy and Shirley's larger boat for a day of fun on the water. And if you lived in Niceville, on most afternoons you would find Roy and Shirley driving around town, enjoying long walks in a park or watching the sun set over Choctawhatchee Bay.
The Air Force song goes, "Off we go into the wild blue yonder, climbing high into the sun". Roy's no longer grounded on this Earth; no longer bound by the limitations of the human body; he's climbing higher now into the blue yonder.
A memorial service will be held to celebrate Roy's life on Friday, April 15, 2016 at 1pm at Crosspoint United Methodist Church in Niceville, FL. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to the Myeloma Institute at the University of Arkansas. Mail donations to: Myeloma Institute, Development Office, 4301 W. Markham # 816, Little Rock, AR 72205. You may go online to offer condolences to the family and sign the guestbook at www.heritagegardensfuneralhome.com.
Published Online in Northwest Florida Daily News on Apr. 14, 2016
Roy L. Ripley, 83, passed into the loving arms of Jesus Christ on Sunday April 10, 2016 at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center following a long battle with cancer.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Shirley, his daughter Cindy, son Scott, son Rob, 8 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
Roy was born in the small town of Brady, Texas on January 17, 1933 to parents Milton and Hannie Ripley. He was the big brother to 6 siblings: Betty, Eddie, Joanne, Linda, Ronnie and Molly. Roy attended Texas A&M and Texas Tech before enlisting in the US Air Force in 1954. He had a love for airplanes and flying and soon became an Air Force pilot. During the Vietnam War, Roy flew over 100 missions and eventually became a squadron commander. While attending Air War College at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Alabama, he also earned his Master's degree in Public Administration. In the mid-1970s, Roy spent several years serving at the Pentagon in Washington DC, procuring flight simulators for the USAF. He reached the rank of Colonel and his final assignment in the Air Force was serving as Base Commander at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, overseeing the operation of the largest Air Force base in the world. During Roy's long and honorable career, he earned many decorations and service awards. He retired from the Air Force in 1981 after serving his country for 28 years.
Throughout his life, Roy always loved fishing. Some of his favorite days were those spent fishing from a small boat on a river or taking family out on Roy and Shirley's larger boat for a day of fun on the water. And if you lived in Niceville, on most afternoons you would find Roy and Shirley driving around town, enjoying long walks in a park or watching the sun set over Choctawhatchee Bay.
The Air Force song goes, "Off we go into the wild blue yonder, climbing high into the sun". Roy's no longer grounded on this Earth; no longer bound by the limitations of the human body; he's climbing higher now into the blue yonder.
A memorial service will be held to celebrate Roy's life on Friday, April 15, 2016 at 1pm at Crosspoint United Methodist Church in Niceville, FL. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to the Myeloma Institute at the University of Arkansas. Mail donations to: Myeloma Institute, Development Office, 4301 W. Markham # 816, Little Rock, AR 72205. You may go online to offer condolences to the family and sign the guestbook at www.heritagegardensfuneralhome.com.
Published Online in Northwest Florida Daily News on Apr. 14, 2016
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Shirley, his daughter Cindy, son Scott, son Rob, 8 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
Roy was born in the small town of Brady, Texas on January 17, 1933 to parents Milton and Hannie Ripley. He was the big brother to 6 siblings: Betty, Eddie, Joanne, Linda, Ronnie and Molly. Roy attended Texas A&M and Texas Tech before enlisting in the US Air Force in 1954. He had a love for airplanes and flying and soon became an Air Force pilot. During the Vietnam War, Roy flew over 100 missions and eventually became a squadron commander. While attending Air War College at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Alabama, he also earned his Master's degree in Public Administration. In the mid-1970s, Roy spent several years serving at the Pentagon in Washington DC, procuring flight simulators for the USAF. He reached the rank of Colonel and his final assignment in the Air Force was serving as Base Commander at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, overseeing the operation of the largest Air Force base in the world. During Roy's long and honorable career, he earned many decorations and service awards. He retired from the Air Force in 1981 after serving his country for 28 years.
Throughout his life, Roy always loved fishing. Some of his favorite days were those spent fishing from a small boat on a river or taking family out on Roy and Shirley's larger boat for a day of fun on the water. And if you lived in Niceville, on most afternoons you would find Roy and Shirley driving around town, enjoying long walks in a park or watching the sun set over Choctawhatchee Bay.
The Air Force song goes, "Off we go into the wild blue yonder, climbing high into the sun". Roy's no longer grounded on this Earth; no longer bound by the limitations of the human body; he's climbing higher now into the blue yonder.
A memorial service will be held to celebrate Roy's life on Friday, April 15, 2016 at 1pm at Crosspoint United Methodist Church in Niceville, FL. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to the Myeloma Institute at the University of Arkansas. Mail donations to: Myeloma Institute, Development Office, 4301 W. Markham # 816, Little Rock, AR 72205. You may go online to offer condolences to the family and sign the guestbook at www.heritagegardensfuneralhome.com.
Published Online in Northwest Florida Daily News on Apr. 14, 2016
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