Celebration of Life set for Ron Ripley, invaluable contributor to golf in Oklahoma

Ron Ripley, who played an invaluable behind-the-scenes role supporting golf throughout the state of Oklahoma, passed away on July 13 after a long battle with cancer.

His official obituary is here.

Ripley was a long-time board member for the Oklahoma Golf Association and a founding board member and Secretary for the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame board. He was a rules official with the USGA and OGA and helped officiate hundreds of events over the years.

“He was a great man,” said former OGA Executive Director Mark Felder. “Very personable and really a super guy with a great sense of humor. He helped us through some tough situations. From the OGA standpoint, he will be sorely missed.”

“Ron just did so much for golf that people don’t realize,” said Tom Jones, chairman of the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame board. “From the OGA to the Hall of Fame to being a rules official, he was one of the invaluable guys that help make golf what it is in Oklahoma. And he was just a great guy and always willing to help.”

A graduate of the University of Oklahoma Law School, Ripley’s law career spanned 40 years of private practice as an attorney and corporate general counsel in Oklahoma. Post-retirement, he served for a time as the co-Director of Students for Access to Justice at his alma mater, the OU College of Law. Ripley served his country as an Army Ranger, earning distinction as a leader. He was a passionate reader, nearly always to be found with a stack of books and magazines near to hand. He closely followed politics at all levels and loved to engage in spirited discussions with friends

. A celebration of Ron’s life will be held at 2 p.m. August 15 at Smith and Kernke, 14624 N. May Avenue, Oklahoma City. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Ron’s favorite charities which were Meals on Wheels of Norman, Oklahoma, the Women’s Resource Center in Norman Oklahoma, and the Perry High School Alumni Association.