Iris J. Rippey

Born in Hinton, West Virginia, she was the daughter of Basil Iris Meadows and Eugenia Kessler Ballengee Meadows. She graduated from Narrow High School, Narrows, VA in 1955. Upon graduating from high school, she went to work as a secretary at the Pentagon in Arlington, VA where she met her husband, Gene A. Rippey. After having two daughters, Iris became a stay-at-home mom to raise her two daughters. Upon her return to the United States after her husband was stationed in Holland and Germany, she returned to work at the Finance and Accounting office at Fort McPherson, GA. After her husband retired from the Army, they moved to Peterstown, WV where they resided for several years; they then moved to Roanoke, VA and finally moved to Lexington, SC. She then went to work at South Lake Child Care in Lexington, SC where she was the lead teacher in the infant room and loved being around the babies.

She was a member of Laurel Baptist Church in West Columbia, SC, where she served as a Sunday school teacher and she sang in the choir for a short time.

Iris is survived by her daughters, Teresa Brown (Gene) of Willow Spring, NC and Janet Shrader of Abingdon, VA; three grandchildren, Chris Shrader (Amanda) of Niceville, FL, Ashleigh Brown of Lexington, SC and David Brown of Willow Spring, NC; two great grandchildren, Anna Shrader and Emma Shrader; one sister, Phyllis Telin (Karl) of Auburndale, FL; brother-in-law, Robert Rippey (Mari) of Strasburg, VA; sisters-in-law, Linda Yokum (Harlan) of Morgantown, WV, Joan Rippey (Ralph) of Marlton, NJ and Jane Rippey (Wayne) of Fort Ashby, WV; nieces, Ila Vasallo (John), Susan Miller (Rick), Alesia Mullins (Alan), Lucinda Rosenberg (Eric), Nancy Buckner (Matt), Lisa Sykes (Ben), Nicka Pohl (Brent) and Brooke Telin; nephews, Brad Rippey (Jolene), Doug Rippey (Karin), Rod Rippey (Christy), Matt Rippey (Leslie) and Steve Yokum (Sarah); special family friends, Kimberly Giles Evans and Corey Branham as well as many great nieces and nephews. Iris was preceded in death by her husband, Gene A. Rippey; her parents, Basil and Eugenia Meadows; brothers-in-law, Ralph Rippey (Joan) and Wayne Rippey (Jane) and sisters-in-law, Eleanor Wykle (Charlie) and Mari Rippey (Bob).

The family would like to extend their many thanks to Duke Neurology Clinic and the following individuals: Ann, Jenny, Paula and all the CNA’s at Transitions LifeCare for the care and love they extended to Iris during this time.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 7, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. with the funeral service to follow at 10:30 a.m. at Laurel Baptist Church, 2250 Pine Street, West Columbia, SC 29170. Interment will follow in the Florence National Cemetery, Florence, SC at 2:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Laurel Baptist Church, 2250 Pine Street, West Columbia, SC 29170; Transitions LifeCare, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607 or to the Dementia Society of America, PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901 or online at www.dementiasociety.org/donate.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.caughmanlexington.com for the Rippey family.