his side on August 16, 2022. He was 81 years old.
Alan led a life filled with abundant adventures and successes, but the greatest joy in his life was
his family, for whom his love and pride was overflowing. He is survived by his wife of 51 years,
Kathryn Young Rieper, daughter Karen Fidelak (Jon) of Erie, CO, son Mark Rieper (Daphne) of
Dover, MA, and grandchildren Mackenzie and Braden Fidelak, and Magdalena and Bryson
Rieper.
Alan was born on May 2, 1941 in Staten Island, NY, as the only child to Henry and Marion
Rieper. He spent his childhood in Staten Island and graduated from New Dorp HS in 1958. He
graduated from Lehigh University in 1962, and then went on to obtain his MBA from Columbia
University in 1964.
As a young boy, Alan regularly visited the north shore of Massachusetts and fell in love with it.
After living in New York and Vermont, he settled in 1980 in coastal Marblehead, MA with his
family and lived in the same house there for the rest of his life. He loved living in this quaint,
historic town, so close to the ocean that he could easily take his boat out for a sail throughout
the summer months and enjoy a nice brunch from the deck of the Corinthian Yacht Club where
he was a member.
Professionally, Alan enjoyed a very successful career as a security analyst on Wall Street,
covering the semiconductor industry in the exciting early days of Silicon Valley. Over the course
of his career he worked at Citibank, National Life, Cowen & Co, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche
Bank, and Credit Suisse First Boston, always staying true to his moral values and his widely
shared “Rieper’s Rules”. His children remember him bringing home “samples” from his client
visits like early CD players, VHS machines, and hand-held electronic games - all devices so
revolutionary at the time in the US that it was hard to even find CDs and VHS tapes to play.
Alan began a 20+ year service in the US Navy in 1964-1967 as an active duty supply officer,
and then in the reserves until retiring as a captain in 1986 in a lovely ceremony on the USS
Constitution in Charlestown, MA. He participated actively in several patriotic and military
organizations, including the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts, The
Military Order of the World Wars, The Wardroom Club of Boston, 76 Club of Boston, and the
Boston Chapter of the Navy Supply Corp Foundation, making treasured friends throughout the
way. He was also active in the Boy Scouts of America since he was young, earning the rank of
Eagle Scout, receiving the Silver Beaver award, and serving on the Executive Board of the
Yankee Clipper Council.
Alan was a supreme lover of animals and never met a dog that he didn’t want to pet or have lick
his face. He believed a house was not a home without a dog in it. He loved taking his faithful
English setter companions on walks through town and on drives up the coast in his roadster
with the top down.
Travel was always an important part of his life. He visited all seven continents, went to Disney
World too many times to count (although he probably could tell you exactly how many), and his
wife, children, and grandchildren have many fond memories of shared Maui vacations and other
fun family trips. His most cherished times were when his whole family was together, wherever
that was. He was also his children’s and grandchildren’s biggest cheerleader, traveling across
the state and country to watch them compete in their many sporting events.
In lieu of flowers, Alan has requested that donations can be made to the First Church of Christ
Scientist, Boston, or Lehigh University - two beloved organizations which had a significant
influence on his life. A celebration of life is being planned for later in the year.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome.com for the Rieper family.
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