Fleet Van Riper
Oct 4, 1924 May 25, 2015
Fleet Van Riper, 90, of Waco, passed away Monday morning, May 25, 2015, at home. At his request, there will be a private family memorial but no public service. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 56 years, Clarice, and his youngest child, Sandra Kay Van Riper Brevell. He is survived by his son Fleet Van Riper, Jr., and his long-time companion, Alicia Czechowski of Baltimore, MD, and daughter, Cynthia L. Van Riper and her husband, Dr. John W. McClain, of Blair, NE. Both Fleet Jr. and Cynthia were with Fleet for his last few weeks of life. Fleet is also survived by his grandchildren, Joshua M. Brevell (son of Sandra) and his wife Valerie, Jennifer M. Bartles (daughter of Sandra), and her husband Jeremy, and great-grandchildren, Logan Fleet and Amelia Irene Bartles (son and daughter of Jennifer and Jeremy Bartles) and Madison Sible, a daughter-by-marriage and daughter of the heart to Joshua Brevell. Fleet's heart was big enough to encompass Cynthia's children by marriage, Denise McClain (now deceased), Verina Vann ("Tina"), and Verina's children, Jaden and Jevon. Fleet is also survived by the beautiful Billye Nell Ryno who graced the last decade of his life with love and companionship. Billye Nell was his constant companion throughout the final months of his life. Fleet was born in 1924 in rural Michigan. He grew up the son of a farmer. Throughout his life, wherever he lived, he always planted some kind of garden, no matter how small. When he was 18, he enlisted in the Army to serve in WWII. He was a fighter pilot during the war. He returned from the war and continued to serve in the Air Force for 30 years, retiring at the rank of Chief Warrant Officer. Besides serving in WWII, he also saw duty in Viet Nam. He retired from the Air Force in 1973. He returned to Waco and served his community for the next 40 years. He obtained a bachelor's degree in accounting from Baylor University. He used his skills to provide volunteer services to assist elderly citizens in filing their income tax returns. He also provided accounting services to the Meals-on-Wheels program at his church, He and his wife Clarice were long-time volunteers in the Meals-on-Wheels program through their church, planning and preparing meals, purchasing food, and delivering meals. Fleet was also a regular volunteer through the Providence Hospice program. He always gave generously of his time, efforts, and resources to people who needed him. He was deeply loved and will be greatly missed.