Donnie Ripley, 62, of Uvalde, Texas, formerly of College Springs, Iowa, passed away June 3, 2025 at his home in Uvalde, Texas.
Donald Walter Ripley, 62, of Uvalde, Texas passed away on June 3, 2025, at his residence following his battle with lung cancer.
Donnie was a talented pilot, who owned and operated L&W Flying Services in Uvalde. He enjoyed his work and was a loving father, grandfather and husband.
He was born on September 2, 1962, in Clarinda, Iowa to Joyce Eliane (Davison) and Donald "Gene" Eugene Ripley. He grew up on the family farm in Iowa, where he and his siblings were involved in feeding and milking cows and farming. He enjoyed time with his Grandpa and Grandma Davison, where he spent summers swimming and winters ice skating on their pond.
Donnie graduated in 1982 from South Page Schools in College Springs and spent many years searching for a career path that suited him. He started trucking with his uncle Jim, traveling as far as the west coast and the Canadian border.
He married his first wife Becky in 1983. With this union Donnie gained a step-daughter Hollie, who he loved and raised as his own. Together Donnie and Becky welcomed 3 children, Dominic, Patricia and Joan Leann.
With children at home Donnie wanted a change from being on the road trucking, and began working for his Grandpa Ripley at the lumberyard in College Springs, IA. It wasn't until his 30's though, when he began working as a professional crop duster, that he found what he really loved, and found the career that led him to move to Texas in 2001.
They say do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life, and that is what he did with crop dusting. He spent his years in Texas making countless friends and building the business he loved. He married Maria Pavan on February 28, 2009, and they spent 14 years together before they split.
When Donnie joined a gym in Uvalde to get in better shape, he ended up finding more than a workout partner. What began as going to the gym at the same time blossomed into more, and he married Gabriela Espinoza on August 14, 2024, who loved and cared for him until his passing.
He is survived by his wife, Gabriela Ripley of Uvalde; three daughters, Patti York and husband, Cody, of Nebraska City, NE, Joni Standridge and husband, Sean also of Nebraska City, NE and Hollie Welch and husband, Todd of Des Moines, IA; son, Dominic Ripley and wife, Tarah of Uvalde; sister, Jenice Schultheis and husband, Jon of Carmel, California; two brothers, Doug Ripley and wife, Kristin Quarles of Woodstock, Georgia and Philip Ripley and wife, Barb of Clarinda, Iowa; 11 grandchildren, Millie Ripley, Tristan Davidson, Rhett Ripley, Phoebe Ripley, Corbin Ripley, Quinton Ripley, Robert York, Rosalie York, Damion Lowe, Emmett Ripley, and Maddison Ripley.
He is preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers, David Dale Ripley and Steven Lain Ripley.
A memorial service will be held 3:00 p.m. Friday July 18, 2025 at the Nodaway Valley Funeral Home, Clarinda, Iowa. Visitation will be held 1:00 p.m. to 3: 00 p.m. Friday, July 18 at Nodaway Valley Funeral Home, Clarinda, Iowa. Memorials may be directed to Donnie Ripley Memorial. Arrangements were entrusted to the Nodaway Valley Funeral Home of Clarinda.
