UNION — Dr. Bobby Gene Rippy, 82, husband of Barbara Harter Rippy, 126 Heritage Way, Union, went home to be with the Lord Monday, Oct. 29, 2012.

Dr. Rippy was born in Blacksburg, S.C., Feb. 10, 1930, a son of the late Mason Rippy and Bessie Driskell Rippy. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy; a graduate of Blacksburg High School and a 1963 graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina, College of Pharmacy.

For 34 years, Dr. and Mrs. Rippy were the owners and operators of Smith’s Drug Store in downtown Union. After his retirement, he continued working for CVS Drug Stores in Union and Spartanburg. Prior to coming to Union in 1969, the Rippys worked for Stone Drug Store in Cowpens where Dr. Rippy was a member and Past President of the Cowpens Lions Club.

Always community minded, the Rippys had sponsored a Dixie Youth Baseball Team for the past 43 years and are members of the Union Chamber of Commerce. While in business, the Rippys were also active in the Downtown Union Merchants Association. He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church.

Surviving in addition to his devoted wife of 57 years, Barbara H. Rippy, are a sister, Doris Glass of Lancaster, S.C.; a brother, Guy L. Rippy of Boone, N.C.; two nieces, Prissy Allan and husband Joe of Spartanburg and Leslie Campbell of Clemmons, N.C.; four nephews, Jimmy Glass of Lancaster, Darrell Rippy of Greensboro, N.C., Brian Rippy of Boone, N.C. and Sam J. Harter of Spartanburg; two special great-nieces and one special great-nephew, Angie Allen and Jeanie Farrell, both of Spartanburg, and Tom Allen of Charlotte, N.C.; several other great-nieces and great-nephews; numerous great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews and one great-great-great-niece.

Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012 at Grace United Methodist Church conducted by Rev. David Bauknight. Burial will follow in Union Memorial Gardens.

Active pallbearers will be Tom Allen, Travis Selby, C.J. Ligon, Gary Lindner, John Fallaw and Freddie Gault. The following are asked to assemble at the church at 1:45 p.m. Thursday to form the Honorary Escort: Tim Justice, Merrie and Bobby Bailey, John Flynn, Dr. and Mrs. Gerald Fielder, Joan and Robert Sprouse, Dianne and Earl Coleman, Mickey and Jane Adkins, Roger and Sara Wade, Bruce McCoy, Bill and Chippie Graham, Linda and Bruce Betenbaugh, Joanne and Mark Haney and former employees of Smith’s Drug Store.

The family will receive friends from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday evening at the SR Holcombe Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to Grace United Methodist Church Building Fund, 201 South Church St., Union, SC 29379 or to Meals on Wheels, P.O. Box 951, Union, S.C. 29379.

The family is at the home, 126 Heritage Way, Union.

SR Holcombe Funeral Home

(www.holcombefuneralhomes.com)