Obituary of Raymond E. Ripley

RAYMOND E. RIPLEY Services will be held in Santa Cruz on Wednesday and Friday for Raymond Ripley who passed away in Watsonville on November 18, 2010, following a lengthy illness. Born in Paduka, Kentucky, he was 76 years old. Ray was raised in Kentucky, and later attended junior high and high school at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana. He served his country in both the US Navy and Air Force. Ray moved to the Santa Cruz area in the 1950's and married Jeaninne Netto. The couple raised their four sons here, as Ray taught for the County of Santa Clara as an instructor of Heavy Equipment repair and operation. His career in that field spanned over 34 years. Ray was dedicated to his Catholic faith and attended both St. Vincent De Paul Church in Davenport, and The Shrine of St. Joseph in Santa Cruz, where he served as an Acolyte and Eucharist Minister. He was also a member of Knights of Columbus Council # 971. Ray enjoyed the outdoors and participated in extreme sports. He was an accomplished sky diver and member of the Golden Gate Parachuting Club. He also loved scuba diving. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Jeaninne Ripley of Santa Cruz; his sons, Michael Ripley, Mark Ripley, Paul Ripley, and Lance Ripley all of Santa Cruz; and his brother, Brother Philip Ripley O.S.B. of Evansville, Indiana. Friends may pay their respects at Benito And Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel on Wednesday November 24th, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, November 26th at the Shrine of St. Joseph Guardian of the Redeemer Church (544 W. Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz), beginning at 9 a.m. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery (2271 7th Ave) in Santa Cruz. Donations in his memory may be made to "Jesus, Mary and Joseph Home" 132 Lenox St. Santa Cruz, Ca 95060 or St. Francis Catholic Soup Kitchen, 205 Mora St. Santa Cruz, Ca 95060. Please visit www.pacificgardenschapel.com to sign the online registry.