A special thank you to all those who have participated in our “I Remember Rippey” series. Your remembrances have allowed readers to share in our town’s history, activities, sports, school, church, and daily life covering 150 years.
We will continue posting online here, using “I Remember Rippey” remembrances received, though those received after April, 2020 will not be in the printed history book. If you would like to read more Rippey history, you may also click on the History tab of the Rippey Library website: https://www.rippey.lib.ia.us .
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My Rippey by Becky Tiffany Zimmerman
Oh how I enjoy this site, so many glorious memories. Sitting here at my kitchen table maybe feeling a little nostalgic during this pandemic and yes wishing for the good old Rippey days. I feel so blessed to have grown up in this town and oh the wondrous memories. Having my grandparents, uncle and aunt so close what could have been better. Riding my horse all over town, even stopping to give Grandma Mabe a ride, picking four leaf clovers in McDowell s back yard, Halloween with Sheriff Riley and Miss Johnsons special treats and Sally Mac’s popcorn balls. We came to not have a phone when my parents divorced but my mother knew when Jeanne and I found a pack of cigs in the street, stopped at Thornburg cafe for matches and somehow mom knew. Punishment when returning home, given a big old black cigar to smoke. Moral I never did smoke again. So many memories, baseball games in the backyard with all the town kids, the Hobos that knew my dad would feed them, our wonderful school, the cooks, teachers and custodians that made it perfect. My family though not perfect by any means but……what a grand day when I laid my mother to rest next to my brother, she was home in her beloved Rippey.