Millard Leroy (12/5/1927) Ripley

MILLARD (RIP) LEROY RIPLEY 1927 - 2020 Millard (Rip) Leroy Ripley, 93, of Zumbrota, died peacefully Thursday, December 10th, 2020 at the Zumbrota Care Center. He was born in Rothsay, MN on December 5th, 1927 to Mabel (Hammerle) and Earl Ripley. Rip grew up during the great depression in Otter Tail County, MN. He enlisted in the Army in 1946 serving during the occupation of Japan. He received a WWII Victory Medal as well as Army of Occupation Medal. After an honorable discharge from the Army, he returned to Minnesota working various jobs from Pelican Rapids to Zumbrota where he began working for the REA. He met Renata Rebecca Stechmann in Zumbrota and the couple were married December 27th, 1952 at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Mar-Vista, CA. The couple returned to Zumbrota where Rip was employed with the Goodhue County Co-op for 40 years. Rip and Renata raised two sons in Zumbrota and were married 42 years until Renata’s passing in 1995. Rip was a member of Christ Lutheran Church serving on several boards. Rip is survived by sons Michael (Judith) Ripley, Jeffrey (Julia) Ripley; sister Audrey (Oliver) Harrison, sister-in-law Amy (James) Ripley; grandchildren Kim (Jon) Gallo, Kerry Malczyk, Bill (Stefanie) Malczyk, Scott (Ann) Ripley, Amanda (Mark Maicke) Ripley, Laura Dickinson, James (Hannah) Ripley; great-grandchildren Evan Malczyk, Ella Malczyk, Emma Gallo, Grace Gallo and Pax Ripley as well as many nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death are brothers Gerald (Helen) Ripley, Robert (Elena) Ripley, Ronald (Lynette) Ripley, James Ripley and sister Alice (Curt) Edwards. Rip will be remembered as a kind and generous man who was a master storyteller and who could fix anything. The funeral will be held for family and relatives only at Christ Lutheran Church, Wednesday, December 16th with visitation at 11:00am and service immediately following. Family committal will be held at Zumbrota Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Zumbrota Care Center. Online condolences are welcome and may be shared at mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.