Alice Porter Ripley's Obituary
Alice Porter Ripley was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, October 17, 1937, the youngest of four daughters to Clarence and Belle Glover Porter. In her youth, she enjoyed swimming, cheerleading, working in local retail stores, acting in plays and water skiing on the Rock River in her hometown of Beloit. After high school, she attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison and Beloit College. Next came her job in the drafting section at Beloit Corporation where she met the love of her life, Don Ripley, in 1957. They were married in 1960 in Beloit, and their first daughter; Luanne was born the following year.
Alice was a creative and vivacious spirit who aspired to a life of notoriety. Alice always made the most of her life and the opportunities presented to her. When Alice, Don, and Luanne moved to Downingtown, Pennsylvania, she became a successful contestant while pregnant with Judy in 1963 for nine straight days on the nationally televised game show, "Say When." She followed up her television career later when the family lived in Portland, Oregon in the early 1970's. Alice was asked to create and host a one half hour children's craft show on Sunday mornings after her guest appearances on Telescope a Portland morning show on KGW-TV. Her one-woman craft show for children, "We Can Do It," was such a success, that it soon became an hour-long show, syndicated throughout Oregon, Idaho, Washington, parts of Montana and western Canada. The show continued to run for four years until Don was transferred for his work to Kalamazoo, Michigan in mid 1970's.
While in Michigan, she took up the sport of tennis and continued collecting art and antiques. This brought great joy to her as anyone could see who visited her beautifully decorated homes throughout the years. Her other hobbies and business ventures included owning a gift shop in McMinnville, Oregon named "Tivoli" and trading antiques in each place she lived. She also enjoyed writing and was an accomplished artist who showed her art in various galleries in Portland, Oregon. She shared her artistic talents through art instruction with her children and grandchildren. She donated her time actively fundraising for the OMSI Auctions in the 1970's.
She thoroughly enjoyed life through her many experiences with her family and her travels as Don was transferred throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and Canada. She found each move to a new home an adventure and a chance to learn something new. She took the family to Timberline Lodge in Oregon for a week's worth of ski lessons. She excelled in tennis leagues and tournaments in Kalamazoo, Michigan. While in Spain, Alice welcomed the challenges of learning the Spanish language and cuisine in the late 1970's. Don's last assignment with Beloit Corporation took them to Singapore in the early 1990's where on a visit to China, she accomplished one of her greatest achievements of walking on the Great Wall. During their retirement years, Don and Alice lived in Brightwood, Oregon, Illinois and then settled in Scappoose, Oregon in 2007. When asked recently, one of her only regrets was that she did not have an opportunity to appear on the game show, "Cash Cab."
Alice passed away peacefully on Oct. 26, 2009 after a long illness with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD. She is survived by her husband, Donald W. Ripley; her daughters, Luanne Ripley Kreutzer Mark of St. Helens, Oregon; Judy Ripley Mankus Roger of Riverwoods, Illinois ; her grandchildren, Emily Rose Mankus and Ruby T. Mankus; her sister, Lorraine Blackmer of Beaverton, Oregon; her nephew, Gary Blackmer Eileen Fitzsimmons of Portland; and her great niece, Eva Fitzsimmons of Portland. She is preceded in death by her mother and father, and her sisters Eleanor Kaplan and Mary Pollard.
Because Alice received the caring services at home with Legacy Hospice in her final months, the family kindly requests that en lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to Legacy Hospice – Portland,
P.O. Box 4484, Portland, Oregon 97208.
A Celebration of Life for family and friends will be held at the Tribute Center at the Columbia Funeral Home, located at 681 Columbia Boulevard in St. Helens, Oregon on Tuesday, November 24 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a family service immediately following.
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