Ripley, Randall “Rip”

January 24, 1938 - October 8, 2021

Randall Butler “Rip” Ripley, born in Des Moines, Iowa, only child of Henry Dayton Ripley and Aletha (Butler) Ripley, “Rip,” died from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. Rip graduated from Depauw University in Indiana (195559) and moved to Harvard, where he earned a Master’s degree and a PHD (1961, 1963) specializing in American government institutions and policy. Rip began a 50-year career at The Ohio State University in 1967 in the Department of Political Science. He served as Chairperson of the Department for 22 years and later was Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences for 12 years. He taught numerous graduate and undergraduate courses in American politics and instituted coursework in Canadian politics, while also publishing numerous books and journal articles. He received the University’s Distinguished Service Award in 2011, and retired from the University in 2017. Rip was an avid fan of railroads, classical music, opera, live productions of Shakespeare’s plays, and riding his beloved trail horse Zephyr. He was a voracious reader of world history and literature. He served on the Board of Governors of the Stratford Shakespeare

Festival in Ontario Canada, the Pataskala Planning and Zoning Commission, and the Licking Land Trust. He is survived by his spouse, Grace Franklin; son, Frederick J. Ripley; daughter, Vanessa Gail Ripley; and first wife, Vivian U. Ripley. Due to COVID there will be no calling hours or services at this time. A memorial service will take place at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, PO Box 520, Stratford, ON N5A 6V2, or to the OSU Political Science Department, 2140 Derby Hall, 154 North Oval Mall, Columbus, OH 43210. OSU maintains a fund in Rip’s name, for graduate students studying American and or Canadian Politics. To send an online condolence to the family, please visit: www.ohiocremation.org