Donald Hilton Ripplinger

May I add my condolences and blessings to the Ripplinger family (I'm sorry I missed his service). What a humble and grand man was Don, and I know he will be missed. But I can just imagine the incredible reunion he must of had with his beloved Myra and other family members on the other side of the veil. How grateful I am for the time I was able to spend with him under his gifted baton in the Tabernacle Choir. God bless him - and you by extension - for the gift of his music and his incomparable life.

He was a gentle man and a gentleman. May he rest forever in perfect peace. I have the fondest memories of him.

I am grateful for Mr Riplingers influence in my life.
Skyline music was a highlight (63-66) daily. Now he's moved on. Blessings on him and his family.

Thank you Dr. Ripplinger for your leadership in developing musical gifts in me and my high school friends. Even more importantly, I noticed that you are truely a leader and have a natural ability to build character and leadership in young men and women. I feel that is part of your extraordinary legacy.

The Class of 1968 Skyline High School will always be blessed by this man. He was my guiding light during those high school years and beyond. Thank you.

Dear Ripplinger Family,

Our office noted with sadness the passing of your loved one, Donald, and we wish to send our condolences and sincere sympathy to you and your family at this time of bereavement. As a member of Weber State University´s extended family, friends and associates will miss him.

While we realize a condolence letter cannot lessen your sense of loss, we want to let you know that his achievements and contributions were appreciated at Weber State University.

Sincerely,

Nancy B. Collinwood
Executive Director of Alumni Relations

I count Dr. Ripplinger as one of the early influences in my choral teaching. He presented workshops often at UMEA and Weber School District. He challenged my thinking about why music should be in the curriculum and I have always remembered how much music education meant to him. What a great musician, and friend.

What a life well lived. I had the great privilege of having Mr. (Dr.) Ripplinger as my choral teacher for jr. choir and then for Concert Choir. These were the first two years at the new Skyline High School. He was a great musician and teacher. Some of my happiest times were singing under his direction. I am grateful for such happy memories and musical experiences with him.

I can´t express enough how great an influence Dr. Ripplinger was all throughout high school at Skyline and decades later. I loved singing in his choirs and receiving inspire counsel from him as I advanced in my musical career.

Judd Sheranian

Don was my first choir teacher after we moved to Utah in 1968. I was a sophomore at Skyline High School and his class was always one of the highlights of my day. I especially loved the rhythm exercises that we did every day. They grew progressively more difficult and we could not move on until we had mastered each new rhythmic pattern. The time spent in his class had a major influence on my future in choir singing. Twenty years later when I auditioned for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, there he was, along with my college choir director, Jerold Ottley, and one of my voice teachers, Joann Ottley. Don was a great example to me and I´ve never forgotten his "True Discipline" poster that hung in the high school choir room all those years ago.

It was always a pleasure to watch Brother Ripplinger conduct, inspire and teach the music of the Gospel. Imagine my great surprise in 1996 when we would move to Utah and find his family in our ward. Cary became our beloved bishop and Evelyn would teach our daughter to love the music that plays in eternity. One fond memory of Donald was seeing him sprint the steps into the choir loft to assist a member of the tabernacle choir who was in trouble at the conclusion of an MSW broadcast. He was devoted to helping those in need and kept a sister in need with compassionate service.....he cared for his people!

Skyline Class of 1970. Ripplinger's last year at SHS. We were so lucky. My involvement with choral music for over sixty years was a result of his profound impact on my life. Not just for the music itself, but the expectation of excellence in all our efforts. His legacy will live long beyond his years for the generations of students who were blessed to follow his baton.

Dr Ripplinger was one of the most important influences in my early life
when I sang in 4 of his choirs through High School. He taught high values
and discipline and expected those things from his students. He helped grow my life long love of music and its positive influence. I loved him.

Dr. Ripplinger was our Skyline High School choir director when I was in the concert choir and madrigals. He was a great man, inspiring my fellow students to become the best Choir in the state of Utah. Loved by all of his choir students, he expected precision and excellence. I still quote his legendary sign to others - "Discipline: The ordering of the self, by the self". I can still picture that sign on the wall, directly above his head while he directed us. We were all better people because of him.