Obituary of Betsy A. Ripley
Betsy Ann Ripley, 93, of Warren, died peacefully on Saturday, August 31, 2024, surrounded by her family.
Betsy Ann Barrett was born to parents Ralph and Ruth Barrett in North Plainfield, NJ, and moved to Watchung in 1934. Betsy lived with her family on Valley View Road until her marriage to William H. ("Bill") Ripley in 1950. The couple moved to Davenport, Iowa, for the next two years while Bill attended Palmer College of Chiropractic. Upon returning to NJ, the couple moved to Plainfield, where Bill opened a chiropractic office in South Plainfield, and Betsy attended the Plainfield Beauty Academy. The couple moved back to Watchung in 1963, settling on Valley Road, where they lived and raised their five children.
In 1980, they moved to Mountain Blvd in Watchung. Betsy thoroughly enjoyed their new home, which included a pool and an attached party barn. Using her tremendous decorating skills, she filled the house and barn to the hilt with museum-quality antiques and collectibles. Her house and “the barn” became the gathering place for most family parties and local events. The barn also included Betsy’s barber chair, where haircuts were provided to family and friends for the nominal fee of kisses and hugs.
Throughout their time in Watchung, Betsy and Bill were extremely active in the Wilson Memorial Union Church, where in the early days, they were part of the "U Go, I Go" couples’ group, and longtime members of the church choir. They were original members and supporters of the Watchung Optimist Club. Betsy also volunteered her time with the group nicknamed the “Patty Wagon Crew.” She helped spearhead a community fundraiser to purchase a handicap-equipped van that she and the crew used to transport Pat Blackburn, a local wheelchair-bound woman. Their care and commitment allowed Pat to attend functions and events that would have normally been missed due to her condition. Additionally, Betsy was a registered member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Elizabeth Snyder Chapter, and a devoted volunteer at America’s Keswick in Whiting, NJ.
They left their beloved Mountain Boulevard home in 1997 and moved south to Beachwood, NJ, where they enjoyed time on the first of their two houseboats. From there, they moved on to Whiting, NJ, and lived there until Bill’s passing in 2017. Betsy then moved up to Warren, where she lived next door to her daughter Robin, until her last move to the Chelsea Assisted Living Community in Warren in 2019.
Betsy was well-known for her endless smile and great sense of humor. She loved travel and adventures. For Betsy, travel had to include a thermos of coffee and a fresh batch of cookies. She was known for a myriad of cookie recipes and the ability to knock out a batch at a moment’s notice. The mere hint that someone might be stopping by was the reason for a fresh batch or two.
The couple enjoyed the RV lifestyle before it was fashionable. Starting first in their pop-up travel trailers with the kids and traveling as far as the Grand Canyon. They then graduated to several different larger, more comfortable motorhomes that they used to travel throughout the country, visiting friends and family, then to Florida for the winters. Of note is that Betsy was not merely a passenger on these journeys; she logged as many miles driving the RV as she did co-pilot.
Betsy’s truest love, however, was the love of her family. She was predeceased by her parents, Ralph and Ruth Barrett; Dr. William H. Ripley, her husband of 67 years; and her granddaughter, Theresa Kay Ripley.
She is survived by her daughter Donna Fremgen and her husband George, daughter Robin Leffert and her husband Russ, daughter Brenda Loubet and her husband George, son Dr. Barrett Ripley and his wife Dawn, son Douglas Ripley and his wife Laura, and sister Barbara Barrett Diem.
Surviving grandchildren include Billy, Elizabeth, Stephanie, Chris, Jordan, Jamie, Keli, Linde, Jesse, Joshua, Emily, John, Matt, Amy, Sarah, Lee Ann, Betsy, Daisy, Ruth, Stephen, Esther, and Naomi. Also surviving are 36 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Grace Healthcare Services (Hospice), 105 Fieldcrest Avenue, #402, Edison, NJ 08837.
A Visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 4th, 2024, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd. A Service will follow at the funeral home commencing at 6:30 p.m. Cremation and Burial Services will be held privately.
