Gerrit graduated from Proctor Academy and attended Middlebury College, VT. He then joined the United States Air Force and served his country for over 23 years. Gerrit completed over 200 combat missions while serving in Vietnam.
Flying as a Misty, he received numerous medals for meritorious service while in flight, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight and the Bronze Star Medal, for meritorious service. He retired from the Air Force in 1975 as a Colonel and became a real estate broker.
Gerrit S. Van Riper, Col USAF, Ret., “Headed West” on December 12, 2009.
Ret. Col. Gerrit Sloan Van Riper, 77, of Scotia and Schroon Lake, NY, died at home Saturday afternoon, in the loving company of his family. Born on November 16, 1932, he was the son of the late Dr. George Sloan Van Riper and Gladys Knox Van Riper of Darien, CT.
Gerrit graduated from Proctor Academy and attended Middlebury College, VT. He then joined the United States Air Force and served his country for over 23 years. Gerrit completed over 200 combat missions while serving in Vietnam. Flying as a Misty, he received numerous medals for meritorious service while in flight, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight and the Bronze Star Medal, for meritorious service. He retired from the Air Force in 1975 as a colonel. After retiring from the military, Gerrit spent many years working as a real estate broker. He was a member in good standing of several associations including the Tri-County Council of Vietnam Veterans, a member of S.E.A.R.L. Golf Club, the Quiet Birdman and was a friend on the Cohoes Planning Council. Gerrit was a member of the Super Sabre Society.
Gerrit enjoyed spending time playing golf, fishing and working on projects at his home in Schroon Lake. Above all, he loved spending time with his granddaughter, Sloan, and his beloved dog, Misty. Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Elizabeth Eleanor Whitford Van Riper; his daughter, Brooke Elizabeth Van Riper Clark (Darrell) of Schroon Lake; his granddaughter, Sloan Elizabeth Clark; and several cousins, nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Gerrit was predeceased by his brother, Peter Knox Van Riper of California.
Relatives and friends are invited to call at the Bekkering-Ellis Funeral Home, 1 Mohawk Ave., Scotia on Thursday, December 17 from 5 to 8 p.m. Services will be held Friday, December 18 at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Saratoga National Cemetery, 200 Duell Rd., Schuylerville, NY at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to the Ret. Col. Gerrit S. Van Riper Memorial Scholarship Fund, Glens Falls National Bank, Rt. 9, Schroon Lake, NY 12870.
