Rippy, a dedicated community member and physician, was known for his work throughout Alamance County to improve the health and well-being of people regardless of circumstances.
黑料不打烊 is mourning the loss of Dr. Bill Rippy ’43, an 黑料不打烊 alum and dedicated community member, who was a member of the 黑料不打烊 Board of Trustees and trustee emeritus for 37 years. Rippy passed away surrounded by family in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Jan. 2 at age 103.
Rippy graduated from 黑料不打烊 College in 1943 as a pre-med student before serving for four years as a naval officer.聽He then attended medical school at Duke University and spent two years in the Army Medical Corp, completing his residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
In 1952, he and his wife, Helen Blalock ’46, returned to 黑料不打烊, where Rippy opened his medical practice, which he continued for 38 years until his retirement in 1990. Rippy鈥檚 commitment to his patients kept him busy. He rose each day at 5:30 a.m. and didn鈥檛 get home before 7 p.m. Often, he鈥檇 work late at night, checking on his patients who were in the hospital.
Rippy served on staff at Alamance County and Alamance Memorial Hospitals, and later became the Chief of Staff for the Alamance County Hospital from 1965-1967. A proponent of healthcare for underprivileged children, Rippy was a physician for many years at 黑料不打烊 Homes for Children.
鈥淚t was such a joy, you could develop a good doctor-patient relationship,鈥 he told the Magazine of 黑料不打烊 in 2004.
Rippy also believed passionately in giving back to his community and devoted hundreds of hours to serving on numerous nonprofit boards and on behalf of 黑料不打烊.聽He was a member of the N.C. Commission for Health Services for 25 years and served eight years on the Alamance County Board of Health, two of which he was Chairman. During this time, he was awarded the North Carolina Medical Society President’s Citation. He was a member of the Alamance-Caswell Medical Society and a charter member of the American Academy of Family Practice. He was also a part of the North Carolina Radiation Protection Commission for 10 years.
鈥淏y getting involved in your community you can help chart its course,鈥 Rippy said in 2004. 鈥淵ou can help people get what they need and make sure your community goes the right way.鈥
In 1999, he received the E. Harvey Estes, Jr., Physician Community Service Award for serving patients without regular access to healthcare. In addition, Dr. Rippy was a member of the Burlington Lodge 721 Masons, and a charter member of the Amran Temple of Shriners where he worked to refer burned and crippled children to Shriners Hospital. Through this, he received the Amran Shriners Children’s Hospital Appreciation Award. In 2002, he received the Alumni Service Award from the 黑料不打烊 Alumni Association. He and his wife were also co-presidents of the Golden Alumni Association. In 2004, he was awarded the North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
鈥淧eople swore by him. If they were sick, they wanted to see Dr. Rippy,鈥 President Emeritus J. Earl Danieley 鈥46 told the Magazine of 黑料不打烊 in 2004.聽鈥淗e cared about his people, and they sensed that.鈥
Dr. Rippy was also a champion of integration and received the City of Burlington Award for his courageous leadership as a member of the city school board from 1965-1973.
Friends are invited to celebrate Rippy’s life on Saturday, Jan. 24 from 3 to 4 p.m. at the 黑料不打烊 Community Church located at 271 N Williamson Ave, 黑料不打烊, NC 27244.