In the last months of my
dad’s life, he put some thought into what his obituary would say about his life.
In classic “Howard style” his version started: “I was born on a dark and stormy
night.”
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| Missouri home |
Indeed there was a storm the day he was born, March 28, 1938 in Niangua, Missouri (always pronounced “Missoura,” being the native Missourian he was) and his father (George William Rippee) was delayed getting home while on his milk run.
Howard was born in his
grandmother’s house, the second of four children to Gladys Elizabeth (McMenus) and
George William Rippee.
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| Gladys and George Rippee 1967, Seattle, WA |
The family moved to
Seattle in 1942 where they lived at Holly Park until 1953 when they moved to
West Seattle.
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| Mary, Howard, George Jr, and Christa 1953 |
After graduating from
West Seattle High School in 1957, he attended the University of Washington for
a quarter. Howard married Carol Diane Newhall in March 1959 and then joined the
Army. He was stationed in Japan for 2 years with the Army Security Agency.
Howard and Carol were married for 13 years and had 3 children.
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| Maija and Howard 1977 |
In 1977, Howard married
Maija Huttula Harper and moved to Ballard. The family moved to Lynnwood in 1980
where he lived until his death.
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| Thanksgiving 1977 |
Howard was a printer.
First in the family business of Pacific Multiforms and then started his own
small printing business called Rippee Printing in 1984 until he retired in
2007.
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| Howard, Chopaka Mountain, 1976 |
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| Maija, Chopaka Mountain 1976 |
He was an avid
outdoorsman. Fly fishing for trout on the North Fork of the Clearwater River
and Kelly Creek in Idaho were highlights of each year. As a young man he
started hunting for grouse and deer on Chopaka Mountain with his father and
family friends. As we rode up the mountain roads he would point out places
where his father would set up camp for the month of September each year as well
as old mines, cowboy cabins, and homesteads.
Many family adventures happened on his property on Palmer Lake in north central Washington. He was very proud to have a place on the lake where we could all go for vacation.
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| Howard, Palmer Lake, 1983 |
Howard is survived by his
loving wife Maija (Huttula), daughters Liz Butowicz, Lisa (Erin) Harper, and Holly
Harper; sons Ted (Amy) and Matt (Kristine); 15 grandchildren; brother George
(Carolyn); brother-in-law Fred Bender; many cousins, nieces, nephews, and
friends. He was preceded in death by both parents and his sisters Mary (Fred)
Bender and Christa Pogue.
