Ret. Lt. Col. Harry B. Ripley, 93, passed away Saturday, March 31, 2012, at St. Luke’s in Carthage. Harry was born on March 17, 1919, in Passadumkeag, Maine, to George Ripley and Jennie Porter Ripley. He joined the Army in 1939, and served in World War II in the European Theatre and then retired as a Lt. Col. from the Army Corp of Engineers after 28 years of faithful service. Harry then worked as a civilian for the United States Air Force for 10 years, and also worked at Able Body Manufacturing for about 10 years, was a lobster fisherman in Maine, and was proud to be a chicken farmer for over 65, 000 chickens. Harry was a member of the Prairie Flowers Bible Church in Webb City. Harry was a member of the Prairie Flowers Bible Church in Webb City. He married his first and only girlfriend, Ruth C. Ripley and she preceded him in death on May 10, 2010. They were married for 67 1/2 years. Harry is survived by his sons, Harry Ripley Jr., of Wallingford, Maine, George Ripley, of San Francisco, Calif., and John Ripley, of Waterford, Conn.; daughter, Ruth Brown, of Rockland Maine; grandsons, Jacob and Rory Ripley; adopted granddaughters, Heather Ueland and husband, Isaiah and Shannon and husband, Jonathan and their four children; and friends and caretakers, Jack and Debbie Cable, of Carterville. He was preceded in death also by two brothers. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, April 4, at 1 p.m. at Prairie Flower Bible Church in Webb City, with Rev. Dave Ernst officiating. A visitation will be held on Tuesday from 6 to 7 p.m. at Simpson Funeral Home in Webb City. Burial will be in Carterville Cemetery with full military honors. In lieu of flowers the family request memorial donations be made to the Prairie Flower Bible Church or the First Baptist Church of Carterville in his memory. Arrangements are under the direction of Simpson Funeral Home in Webb City.