William I. "Bill" Rippy

William I. "Bill" Rippy, of the Gulf Coast died Saturday, August 13, 2011 in Mobile. He was born in Ft. Wayne, Indiana and was a lifelong resident of the Coast. Bill was of the Catholic Faith, attended University Military School in Mobile, was an avid fisherman and a accomplished musician. His hobbies were customized fishing rods and art. Bill was a wonderful son, brother, father, uncle and friend. He was proud of the family heritage on the MS Gulf Coast. His greatest accomplishments were his children, William Hensel Rippy and fiancee Holli Cook and Lauren Elizabeth Rippy Hozey and her husband, John. Bill was preceded in death by parents, William Hensel and Mignonette Foretich Rippy. Other than his children, Bill is survived by the mother of his children, Rebecca Gaskin of Long Beach; two sisters, Mignonette (Mimi) Davis of Gulfport and Anne Davis Lee of Ocala, FL; a brother, Emery H. Davis of Rogers, Arkansas; nieces and nephews, Mary Martha Shank (Fred), and their children, John Taber and Madison, Stephen Gunn and his son Daniel, Gypsy Gunn Allenbaugh (Chris) and their children, Dailey and Christopher. Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Thomas Catholic Church, Long Beach where friends may visit 30 minutes before the Mass. The family prefers memorial contributions to Coastal Consevation Association of MS, 109 S. 27th Avenue, Suite 219, Hattiesburg, MS 39401. Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home, 15th St., Gulfport is in charge of arrangements. View and sign register book at www.bradfordokeefe.com