Clair Cripe

HARRISONBURG, Virginia - Clair A. Cripe, 88, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, died November 11, 2020, at Martha Jefferson Hospital, Charlottesville, Virginia.

He was born in Kendallville. His parents were Otis C. and Leila (Hutchins) Cripe.

Mr. Cripe graduated from Kendallville High School in 1950. He received his B.A. degree from Oberlin College in 1954, where he graduated with honors. He then went to Harvard Law School, as a Dean's Scholar. He received his law degree in 1957, and was admitted to the Indiana Bar that year.

Clair married Anne Suter on August 27, 1955, in Waterville, Ohio. His wife preceded him in death on March 4, 2020.

A daughter, Lynette Cripe, of Staunton, Virginia survives him, as do daughter Carla, and son-in-law Craig Mackail, of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Also surviving are four grandchildren, Marissa Wallace, Allison Steen, and Emily and Curtis Mackail, as well as his sister, Edith Knauer, 95, of Austin, Texas.

Mr. Cripe, following graduation from law school, entered the Navy. He went to Officers Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, and was commissioned in the JAG service. He served three years at the headquarters Ninth Naval District in Great Lakes, Illinois. There, he worked both as a prosecutor and then a defense counsel, trying general courts martial.

In 1961, Clair and Anne moved to Kensington, Maryland, where they lived for 35 years. Clair first worked in Washington, D.C., as a trial counsel for the Food and Drug Administration. He transferred in 1963 to the Department of Justice. He worked there in the legal office of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In 1975 he was named General Counsel of that agency, and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1990.

While in Washington, he taught for 15 years in his specialty area, the law of corrections, at the National Law School of George Washington University. He taught many training courses for employees of the Bureau of Prisons, and established a paralegal training school in that agency. After his retirement, he authored a college-level textbook, "Legal Aspects of Corrections Management," which is used in many criminal justice schools around the country.

Clair was an active member of the Warner Memorial Presbyterian Church in Kensington, and was ordained a ruling elder of the church. He served several terms on the Session of that church, and was also active as an Elder Commissioner in the National Capital Presbytery. He served in several positions on the committees of that Presbytery. He also served several years, and then chaired, a Citizens Advisory Committee on curriculum materials for the Montgomery County, Maryland public schools.

In 1996, Clair and Anne moved to Harrisonburg, and enjoyed a pleasant retirement life there. He pursued a number of his personal hobbies and interests including cooking, classical music, travel, Civil War photographs and letters, and he enjoyed the close companionship of his dogs. He worked as a tutor with the Skyline Literacy Coalition, teaching citizenship subjects (U.S. history and government) to immigrants.

Funeral arrangements were handled by Johnson Funeral Service in Bridgewater. There will be no public visitation or services. Burial will be in Lake View Cemetery in Kendallville.

It is requested that memorial contributions be made to PFLAG Washington DC, 1701 14th St. N.W., Washington, DC 20009.

Online condolences to the family may be shared at www.johnsonfh.com

Young Family Funeral Home, Kendallville Chapel, is assisting the family locally.