Ronald Joseph Ripp

Ronald Joseph Ripp

7-1-1953 - 5-9-2020

Ronald Joseph Ripp passed unexpectedly, on May 9, 2020 near Salida, Colorado, while pursuing his passion of the great outdoors.

A register book can be signed Wednesday, May 20^th and Thursday, May 21^st, 2020 from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow, NE. An online guest book can be signed at www.govierbrothers.com  

A Celebration of Life will be held Wednesday, July 1, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. at the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Ravenna, NE. A supper will follow.

Burial at St Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in rural Buffalo County, Nebraska (Thornton TWP 7-10-15)

Ron was born in Kearney, Nebraska, on July 1, 1953, the fourth of nine children of Gerald Charles and Catherine (Kriha) Ripp, coming home to the family farm (Buffalo County, TWP 26-11-15), joining sisters Judy, Janet & brother Terry in the growing Ripp Family and was followed by five more brothers; Steve, Don, Scott, Mark and Tim.

Ronald nicknamed “Tub”, at a young age, was a busy boy, loving all things dirt, outdoors, inventing, farming, and mechanical fixing.  His family was active in St. Mary’s Catholic Church at Prairie Center, where Ron served as an altar boy.

Ron attended Poole (District 60) School from Kindergarten to 8^th grade.  He remained close to his cousins, friends, and neighbors of that close-knit community, where he was involved with 4-H and baseball.  Ron attended Ravenna High School, graduating RHS with the Class of 1971.  He was very active in FFA, a wrestling standout and football athlete.  Ron was a member of the Ravenna High School 1968-69 – Unscored Upon, Unbeaten & Unranked Football Team, which was inducted into the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame in 2000.

After high school, Ron joined siblings Janet & Terry in Lincoln, where he attended the University of Nebraska, earning a BS in Ag Education in 1975.  With several kids attending UNL, Jerry & Kay purchased the infamous Ripp House on North 24^th Street.

Ron taught Ag Education in Broken Bow from 1975-1980.  He was always proud of his students and their accomplishments, maintaining contact with many throughout his life.  Ron coached the qualifying Broken Bow High School FFA National Range Judging team.

In 1979, Ron started his own construction business “Ron Ripp Construction”. Ron Ripp Construction built residential, commercial, and agricultural projects in and around Broken Bow and Central Nebraska for the past 40 years. Ron employed numerous people over the years including brothers, nephews, and grandsons.

On February 19, 1993, Ron & K Janelle Worley Eacker, were married in Broken Bow.  He became stepfather to her children – Robb, Charlie, Brandon, Presha & Tammy.  Ron guided them with his calm, common sense, & pragmatic values, while supporting Janelle in every way.  Ron loved being a grandpa. He was always willing to help his stepchildren with anything from car repairs, home repairs, and watching the grandkids.

Ron was a passionate outdoorsman.  Fishing annually for many years, at Peterson’s Cornhusker Camp on Lac la Ronge Saskatchewan, Canada, dipping a line in the Yellowstone River, or lazy afternoons at Sherman Lake.  Ron always had a fishing pole in the truck, just in case.  Hunting too, was a priority, it could be snapping turtles for the annual Ripp Christmas turtle soup, elk, deer, geese, or game birds, he loved the hours spent with family & friends fishing, hunting, and camping.  For over 35 years, he enjoyed elk hunting in the Colorado Rockies, with his brothers and friends.  He served as one of the “camp commanders”, cooking up his tasty Dutch oven cobbler each night, so that the men had dessert after their big day of hunting.  He could often be found at the camp, carving wood canes from the unique huckleberry branches he gathered.

Ron was active in his community of the Broken Bow area, through Ron Ripp Construction and individually.  He supported many projects and was always ready to give time, talent, and energy, including One Box Hunt, Broken Bow Fire Department, St Joseph Catholic Church, Ducks Unlimited, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, NRA, Pheasants Forever, and Youth Hunts

Survivors include his wife, Janelle Ripp. Stepchildren: Charles (Linda) Eacker of Hershey, Haley Eacker, Nick Eacker, April Eacker, Adam Eacker, & Sara Eacker / Presha (Clifford Hohlfeld) Wilke of Hastings,  Autumn (Carlos) Roca, Luke Wilkie, Josiah Wilkie, Obadiah Wilkie, Boaz Wilkie, & Aiden Hohfeld / Tammy Royle of Broken Bow, Chelsea Royle, Maddison Royle, & Katelynn Royle,  also Grandchildren: Rayne Eacker, Tristan Eacker, Brandon Eacker, Zoey, (of the late Robert Eaker), Great-grandchildren: Ricco, Destiny, Dreamer, Elliott, Ayden, & Samara

Siblings and their families include:  Judy (Herb) Dixon of Pleasanton, NE, Pete (Molly) Dixon & Cooper, Kessler, Keiser & Cadence, Carrie (Damian) Doom & Dixon, Suzanne (Jay) Bakken & Beau & Brynn, Lisa (Robert) Howard & Jameson / Janet (Gregg) Hanna of Burwell, Kristi (Mark) Schwesinger & Ava & Olin, Nick (Anna Hendrickson) Hanna / Terry (Barb Irvine) Ripp of Ravenna, Michael Ripp, Brian Ripp, Anna Ripp, Sarah Ripp / Steve (Constance) Ripp of Ravenna, Chancy (Abigail) Rogers & Elspeth, David (Emily Kiolbasa) Ripp, Catherine (Justin) Chmelka / Donald – Chuck (Janece) Ripp of Pleasanton, Melissa (Justin) Caha – Avery & Emerysn, Kevin Ripp, Adam Ripp / Scott (Angie) Ripp of Broken Bow, Andria (Stacy) Eddings, Tressa Ripp, Reggie Ripp (Maria Glidden ) Alex & Matthew, Caleb Ripp / Mark (Wendy) Ripp, Jessica Ripp, Jakeb (Lexi Evans) Ripp, Jarah (Matt Heanue) Ripp / Tim (Jennifer) Ripp, Alec & Emily Ripp.

He was proceeded in death by his parents, Gerald Charles Ripp, and Catherine Kriha Ripp, stepsons, Brandon Eacker and Robert Eacker, niece, Sara Jane Dixon, cousins, Annette Ripp Bowman and Larry Ripp, grandparents, Charles & Helen (Landrigan) Kriha, Joseph and Matilda (Schram) Ripp,  and several aunts and uncles. 

Ron, “Tub”, will be fondly remembered by his family and friends as a devoted family man, a passionate outdoorsman and a jack of all trades who could fix most anything.  He was hardworking, honest, and exemplified common sense, and loyalty, as he calmly walked through his life touching the lives of the ones he met.  He loved a good time and was always ready to relax with family and friends with a cold Budweiser, when his day of work was finished. 

Gone too soon, we miss you