He was united in marriage to Rosemarie Havel on July 18th, 1964 at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wilber and the couple made their home in Lincoln where they raised their two beloved sons, Mark and Russell (Russ).
He was a graduate of the class of 1961 at Wilber High School and went on to serve in the U.S. Army. After serving his country, he attended Tech School at Milford and upon graduation accepted a position in the Engineering Department at Lincoln Steel Corporation where he was employed for 10 years. In 1976, Gene and John C. Porter formed the partnership of Porter-Ripa Engineering, a bridge and structural steel engineering firm, which Gene continued to operate until his retirement in 2019.
Gene always thought of Wilber and the farm as home and he was the 4th generation of the Ripa family to steward the family farm. Row crop production on the farm was leased out, but he, Rosemarie, and Russ put up the hay and leased additional acreage for haying, which Russ carries forth today. As he grew older, the bales grew heavier but he always wanted to help and he looked forward to the time of year when the barns were filled with freshly baled hay.
Gene was an avid outdoorsman and the days he enjoyed most were spent hunting and fishing with Russ. It didn’t matter if he was hunting big game, waterfowl, or upland game and it didn’t matter if the hunt was successful, spending time outdoors with Russ is what really mattered to him. He was aware of the importance of conservation and was a member of the Lincoln Izaak Walton League for 51 years. He served on the Izaak Walton League Board of Directors for many years and in 2007, was elected to serve as President of the Corporation Board, a position he held until earlier this year when his health started to deteriorate.
Gene loved kids and believed passing on our outdoor heritage was one of his most important responsibilities. Gene was a certified hunter safety instructor for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and was active in all the youth trapshooting programs at the Lincoln Ikes. In the early 1970’s he started a youth trapshooting program that continues on today. He also served as the Ikes’ high school trapshoot meet director for 25 years.
In 1992, Gene became the head coach of the Lincoln Southeast Trap Team, a role he loved and fulfilled until 1996. In 1994, he was honored as “Coach of the Year” at the Cornhusker State Trapshoot in Doniphan, Nebraska and that same year he and Rosemarie created the first Academic All-Star Team, which “recognized high school trapshooters for academic excellence in the classroom and the exhibition of good sportsmanship and skilled shooting ability on the trap range.” He was very proud of his Lincoln Southeast Trap Teams, which earned many honors and awards during his coaching tenure including, a Cornhusker Cup winner and many winning teams at the Eastern Trapshooting Conference meets and the Cornhusker State Trapshoot.
Gene is reunited in heaven with his son, Mark Ripa, his parents, Irvin and Irene Ripa, his in-laws, Robert and Rose Havel, and his two beloved Labrador Retrievers, Gunner and Bailey. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Rosemarie, his son Russ and wife, Katie Ripa, and his two treasured grandchildren, Madison and Logan Ripa. He always said, “The best hugs come from Madison and Logan.”
Gene was a simple and quiet man and requested no services. Memorials to be sent in care of the family for designation to his favorite charities and causes.