Galen D. Ripple, age 75, of Ossian, passed away Sunday morning, February 16, 2020, at Majestic Care in New Haven.

Galen was born in Bluffton on August 1, 1944, to Galen N. and Ida P (Faus) Ripple.  Both parents preceded him in death. On August 1, 1981, he married the love of his life, Norma (Bauman) Perry.  She preceded him in death on October 25, 2017.

A 1962 graduate of Bluffton High School, Galen served in the United States Military for 38 years, serving in the Air National Guard and the United States Air Force, retiring in 2004, in the grade of Senior Master Sergeant. Throughout his military career he received numerous awards including the Air National Guard Senior NCO of the year award not once, but twice, while working in Washington, DC.

Galen was a member of the American Legion Post 241 in Waynedale and attended the Ossian United Methodist Church.

Galen is survived by two sons, Kevin (Michelle) Ripple of Bluffton and Jeffrey (Yazmine) Ripple of Roanoke; a daughter Michaela Eltzroth (Mark Christman) of Markle; two stepsons, Neal (Betty) Perry of Decatur and Todd Perry of Fort Wayne; a brother, Dennis (Sherry) Ripple of Bluffton; and a sister, Cheryl (Mike) Nicholson of Bluffton. Galen was blessed with nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, along with several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Thursday, February 20, 2020, from 3:00 until 8:00 PM, at Goodwin - Cale & Harnish Memorial Chapel in Bluffton. Services will be held on Friday, February 21 ^st , at 10:30 AM, at the funeral home, with one hour of visitation prior to the service. Rev. David Herr will officiate. Military rites will be conducted immediately following the funeral service at the funeral home by the United States Air Force Honor Guard.  Burial will be at Covington Memorial Gardens in Fort Wayne at a later date.

Preferred memorials be made to Ossian United Methodist Church or the Bluffton Fraternal Order of Firefighters Annual Cancer Benefit.