Joe Frank Rippetoe

Joe Frank Rippetoe passed away peacefully of natural causes on Friday, December 12, 2025, at his home in Centennial, Colorado. He was 88 years old.

Joe is survived by Rita, his beloved wife of 60 years, his daughter Rebecca (husband Tom Kim), granddaughters Contessa and Vitalia, grandson Bryant Bisbee, and his sister Karen and her sons, Mark and Michael. Joe and Rita’s son, Russell, was killed in action on April 3, 2003, while serving with the U.S. Army, 75th Ranger Battalion, 3rd Regiment, A Company during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Joe lived a full life. He was born in St. Louis, Oklahoma, the first son of Viva and Clinton Rippetoe. Due to his father’s occupation as a pipe fitter installing sprinkler systems, he spent his childhood moving between 27 states before completing his primary education.

Joe attended Belleville High School in Belleville, Michigan. He enrolled in Eastern Michigan College, now Eastern Michigan University, where he was a member of the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). While in the ROTC, he distinguished himself as the top cadet. Joe participated in wrestling and his favorite activity was serving as Class President. He graduated and received his commission as an Infantry officer in 1960.

Joe’s first duty station was Ft Riley, Kansas where he taught hand to hand combat and was Platoon Leader for an Infantry Battalion. He then transferred to Ft Benning, Georgia for Infantry Officer Basic Course, earning his Ranger and Airborne Tabs. In November 1960, Joe was transferred to Ulm Germany and in August 1962, he transferred to Kaiserslautern, Germany serving as an Armored Rifle Company Commander. While stationed in Germany, he was the Captain/ Shooter of the Battalion Marksmanship Team, and they won several certificates and trophies. He was then transferred to Ft Knox, Kentucky in November of 1963. There, he was the Armor School’s Operations Officer and attended the Armor Officer’s Career Course attaining the rank of Captain.

Joe met Rita Spurlin in a memorable encounter in 1963. Joe and his friend passed Rita and her roommate on the way to a bar. Rita remembers noticing because of the fancy car they were driving. Not missing an opportunity, Joe waited for Rita in the parking lot. Since Rita was underage, Joe agreed to escort her in “like they owned the place!” Joe ultimately charmed her into marrying him the following year, December 19, 1964. They were married at Ft Knox, where they lived until Joe was deployed to South Vietnam, where he was assigned to the 1st Air Cavalry as an intelligence officer at the battalion, brigade and division levels. For his actions during his first tour, he was awarded the Bronze Star and an Air Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster. In 1967, he returned to Ft Knox and was promoted to Major. While back at Ft Knox he served as Instructor at the US Army Armor School and became highly interested in the Intelligence Staff Officer’s job.

In 1969, he returned to South Vietnam where he served as Chief of Special Intelligence with the U.S. Army, Republic of Vietnam and was awarded the Legion of Merit. At the end of his deployment, he returned to the States and was transferred to the Pentagon in Washington D.C. During his tenure at the Pentagon, he was assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency and served as an author and briefer for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, preparing weekly briefing papers that were used to brief the Secretary of Defense and ultimately the briefs were presented to the President. He personally briefed the Chairman as well. During this time, he was requested by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to provide monthly briefings on the situation in Indochina. He served as the Executive Officer for the China/Asia Division, Directorate for Intelligence, at the Defense Intelligence Agency. He prepared the Vietnam Intelligence Briefing Papers for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and later assisted in preparing the Paris Peace Accords provided to the National Security Advisor and Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger.

In 1974, Joe was assigned to Heidelberg, Germany, serving with U.S. Army Intelligence, Europe as Chief of the Strategic Intelligence Staff. He observed photographs of a new Soviet tank and determined the caliber of the main gun and the origin of its external machine gun to expose a weakness in its structure. He was also promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

In 1979, the family moved to Bellevue, Nebraska, when Joe was assigned to Offutt Air Force Base as Chief, Defensive Branch, Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff (JSTPS) and later as the Deputy Secretary of the Joint Staff. During his 11-year assignment to JSTPS, he worked for six Vice Admirals (all nuclear submariners) and was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal.

In 1988, Joe was compelled to accept early retirement for medical reasons, and he retired from the Army after 28 years of dedicated service to the nation. The family moved to Broomfield, Colorado in the fall of 1988. Joe worked for an old Army buddy in the jewelry business, Rocky Mountain Gold, ViMar. Ultimately, he and Rita moved to Arvada, Colorado until Rita received a promotion that required relocation, then it was Joe’s turn to follow Rita. They moved to Montgomery Village, Maryland in April of 2003. Unfortunately, just days after their arrival, prior to unpacking their belongings, they received notice that their only son Russell, had been killed in action while serving in Iraq. Russell, like Joe, was a US Army Ranger.

Joe and Rita stayed in Maryland until 2013, when Rita retired, and they moved back to Colorado to be close to their daughter Rebecca, her husband Tom and their two daughters, Tessa and Talia.

Neighbors and friends knew how much Joe enjoyed home improvement projects. He spent countless hours working on myriad projects in Broomfield, Arvada, Montgomery Village [MD] and Centennial. Joe and Rita also enjoyed two years living at Parkside Village, where they met many good friends, before moving into the Casita in Piney Creek Ranches.

Joe loved his final years living with Rita in the Casita, along with Rebecca, Tom, Tessa and Talia next door, accompanied by 3 dogs, including his beloved Kye, 2 horses, 1 cat and a whole menagerie of wild birds, and other critters. Joe loved feeding the birds, spending hours caring for the numerous bird feeders around the Casita. If the family would have let him, he would have invited the critters inside! Joe loved to be outdoors, whether working or relaxing, surrounded by nature. He loved to sit in the peace and quiet of the patio and watch the horses run, the birds fly, the squirrels scamper and the trees sway.

Joe spent much of his time organizing (and reorganizing) his office and work bench and loved to drive his scooter while pulling a cart carrying his tools and materials to various locations around the property.

After Russell’s death, Joe became very active with the 75th Ranger Regiment Association, attending numerous events in Georgia and Colorado. One of his favorite trips was to Ft Benning, Georgia, for the Best Ranger Competition, where he spent time with Retired Lieutenant General David Grange, and his favorite people, the Rangers, some of whom had served with Russell.

Joe loved Jesus and spent hours reading “the good book” as he referred to it. As part of his ministry, he enjoyed passing out Shields of Strength with the inscription “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9. This was important to Joe because Russell had been wearing this Shield of Strength when he was killed in Iraq. Joe was proud that President Bush mentioned this during his Memorial Day address from Arlington in 2003. His grief was great, but his faith was greater and he carried that faith until the end. We know that Joe is at peace, with Jesus and his angels, Russell, and all those he loved who went before him.

Joe’s remains will be interred at the gravesite of his son, Russell, at Arlington National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Russell Rippetoe Memorial Foundation. This foundation presents the Rippetoe Sabre and a scholarship annually to a deserving Cadet from the CU Army ROTC program.

Russell Rippetoe Memorial Foundation

First Interstate Bank

5720 W 120th Avenue

Broomfield, CO 80020

(303) 460-0333