Remembering Ray Ripper, ladder man

To the Editor,

Ray Ripper

It is with much sadness that I read about the recent passing of Ray Ripper. Ray was a founding member of Swarthmore Friends of the Arts. For many years, he served as our “ladder man,” helping hang art in the high spaces in Borough Hall before we adopted a system that made this job less precarious. He used his wordsmithing talents to craft our mission statement: “….. to encourage the free expression of all forms of art by local artists, and to exhibit these works in our Borough Hall for the enrichment and enlightenment of the community.”  A devoted father, he was frequently seen strolling around Swarthmore Hills with his son Noah. Thanks to Ray — and many others, including our current president Martha Perkins — since 1999, Swarthmore Friends of the Arts has continued to display work by local artists for our “enrichment and enlightenment.”  

Lora Lavin, Founding President Emeritus
Swarthmore Friends of the Arts