One-Liners From Rippey Readers
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I remember when McDowell’s Phillips 66 gas station was a place to hang out. I did learn a lot about cars hanging out there. Gas prices during the early sixties averaged 33 cents per gallon!—John Rains
I remember chasing after foul balls at Rippey Demons’ games. That dime we got for dropping the ball into the grandstand slot felt like big bucks!—Linda Young
Right now, because of the Coronavirus, there is a great shortage of toilet paper nationwide, which would never have been a problem in Rippey because we all had big Sears and Montgomery Ward catalogs.—Les Zanotti
Detasseling was tough work
Wet and cold,
Muddy
And hot,
Almost simultaneously—Mary Fry Liebich
I remember the lady that came to our house with bags of new clothes to sell. I called her the Minnesota woolen lady!!!
I remember Jack the milkman. Delivered 4 gallons of milk a week for us!!! Then bought my flute from him!—Mary Ann Bardole Hick
Christmas caroling. Pearl Chase had our route all planned out. Walking around in the cold and snow to sing to the older residents of the town. What a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas.—Marna Rittgers Parker
I never lived in Rippey, but my grandfather used to go to breakfast at the diner where other friends and farmers would gather in the mornings and tell stories. He would take me along when I was visiting. Now when I see the “Liar’s Table” at my local diner, I think of those breakfasts.—Jim F. Johnson, Bloomington, IN
I remember line rings for school announcements such as snow days!☃️
Later in high school when I was dating my later husband I would pause after Steve hung up and would hear click.click.click as people listening in would hang up!
–Pat Grow McPherson
I remember when Rippey moms ironed patches on our jeans to cover the rips and tears. Now those holey jeans are fashionable and costly!—Phyllis McElheney Lepke
The library was in a small wooden building between Thornburg’s café and the grocery store. During the summer, there were movies that were shown on a screen between the cafe and library—the audience faced north and sat in lawn chairs they brought or on a blanket on the ground. We’d bring our own popcorn and pop.—Mary Fry Liebich
I remember the Rippey band concerts on Main Street, then in the bandshell. Music under the Stars in Rippey.—Mary Dorris Weaver
This Rippey remembrance is from Steven Pearson, grandson of Dale and Nancy Hanaman. He wrote it when he was 7 years old in 2008 for a school assignment and received a “Good Job” note from his teacher. The unique spelling of Rippey is his.
I go to Rippy, Iowa, every summer. My grandma is very old but she played baseball with me. My grandpa is very old but he played baseball with me, too. There are workers there to make my grandma and grandpa’s house bigger.—Steven Pearson
I remember when Rippey was a full service town—Grocery store, telephone company, barber shop, beauty shop, locker, two car dealerships, two banks, lumber yard, hardware store, two gas stations, two restaurants, pool hall, post office, grain elevator, two churches, school (kindergarten thru 12th), library. (Hopefully, I mentioned all.)—John Rains
I remember selling poppies and being able to go into the saloon at the end of Main Street—just north of where the car wash is now and a bit east of where the post office is now. This was the only time that kids were allowed in there and the folks there did buy the poppies.—Mary Fry Liebich
Always something I have wanted to say, but it was a grand day when my mother returned to Rippey, even though it was to the cemetery. She loved Rippey.–Becky Tiffany Zimmerman