Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Democrats’ ‘grand old lady’

For so long, Marie Ripps was the go-to person for local Democratic events.

When the party needed someone to organize President John F. Kennedy's 1963 Las Vegas visit, it called on Ripps, who handled details such as booking the Las Vegas Convention Center for his speech and handing out the press badges.

At age 85, she was designated one of Nevada's four electoral voters to keep Bill Clinton in the White House.

"Marie was the grand old lady of the Democratic Party in Las Vegas," said former Nevada governor and U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan. "She was such a driving force. It was said that she was so meticulous organizing events she would give a woodpecker a headache."

Marie Dorothy Ripps, one of the first three Nevadans to be inducted into the Nevada State Democratic Hall of Fame, died July 25 in San Jose, Calif., where she had lived the last seven years. She was 95.

A memorial service for the Las Vegas resident of 47 years is scheduled for 2 p.m. today in Salon C and D at the Orleans Hotel. A celebration of her life will follow at that location.

Born Feb. 16, 1911, in Philadelphia, she attended Columbia University and graduated from the Traphagen School of Fashion in New York.

She married Alfred Ripps in 1941 and they moved to Las Vegas in 1952. He was the longtime owner of Mike's Liquors in downtown Las Vegas. He died in 1992.

Twice elected president of the Women's Democratic Club - 20 years apart - Marie Ripps held key local organizing positions in several presidential campaigns, starting with Kennedy in 1960.

She was a delegate to state and national conventions from 1960 to 1984. Ripps served on the Democratic State Central Committee and was chairwoman for the Nevada National Democratic Telethon.

Ripps served for nine years as a member of the Nevada State Parks Commission and was organizer of fundraisers for U.S. Sens. Ted Kennedy, John Glenn, Howard Cannon and Alan Bible and Nevada Govs. Mike O'Callaghan, Grant Sawyer, Bob Miller and Bryan.

Donna Ripps of San Jose said that even though her mother devoted so much time to politics, she always found time for her family: "She was there to cook us breakfast in the morning and dinner at night. She wouldn't have it any other way."

The National Organization for Women in 1983 recognized her contributions with a "Marie Ripps Day." At the 1991 State Democratic Hall of Fame ceremony, Ripps was inducted into the shrine by Sawyer.

But perhaps her biggest honor, her family said, came in 1996, when delegates at the state Democratic convention selected her as one of Nevada's delegates to the U.S. Electoral College. Ripps also played a major role in organizing the Clark County Mother of the Year awards for more than 20 years. She won the award in 1991.

Ripps served on the boards of St. Jude's Women's Auxiliary, Business and Professional Women, Junior Achievement, Las Vegas Opera Association, the Theatre Guild and the American Heart Association.

Much of her political memorabilia, including letters she received from vice presidents, presidents and First Lady Jackie Kennedy, are part of the Democratic women's exhibit at the Nevada State Historical Society.

In addition to her daughter, Ripps is survived by a son, Ronald Ripps of Scottsdale, Ariz.; a sister, Lee Dial of Las Vegas; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

The family said donations can be made in Marie Ripps' memory to the American Heart Association.

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