Donald David (Dave) Kriplen, died peacefully on June 22 in Indianapolis. He was 93

A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, he was an engineer, retired General Motors executive, European sports car racer, canoer, Great Lakes diver, and Boy Scout troop leader extraordinaire.

In 1956, Kriplen and sports car friend Chuck Rickert won entry into the prestigious European Alpine Ralley, by winning New England’s Great American Mountain Rally. They bought a Porsche 356 Carrera and took off with 78 other cars from Marseille through events in France, Switzerland, Italy, and Yugoslavia. Only 33 cars finished the treacherous route. Americans Kriplen and Rickert were an impressive second in class and third overall.

The son of Ralph and Alma Kriplen, Kriplen was born in Dayton, OH, in 1927. He graduated from Purdue with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, following service in the U.S Army of Occupation in the Philippines. In 1959 he married the former Nancy Lowe of Indianapolis.

As its energetic leader, Kriplen led Indianapolis Boy Scout Troop 146 on monthly excursions, including canoeing in the US-Canadian Boundary Waters, camping at Philmont (NM) Scout Ranch, spelunking in southern Indiana caves, and diving for lobsters in the Florida Keys.

Kriplen was past president of the Contemporary Club, the Indianapolis Literary Club, and Players and was a member of the Indiana branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club.

He is survived by his wife; children Marsh Kriplen (wife Alyssa) of Miami, FL, Kate Duffy of Martinsville, IN, and Madelyn Nasser (husband Ricardo) of Bend, OR; and five grandchildren: Saffron Weddington, Lilly Duffy, Eleanor Kriplen, Cam Nasser and Lucy Nasser. A sister, Dorothy Pinella, preceded him in death.

Services were held Monday, June 28, at 10 a.m. in the chapel of Second Presbyterian Church. Friends were invited to greet the family following the service in the church parlor.

Memorial gifts may be made to Second Presbyterian Church where Kriplen served as a Deacon and Elder or Boy Scouts of America.

The working title for these remarks was 'Dave Was.'

It's true, but a little abrupt and not really the whole story

Dave was with us last Tuesday at 10 am, making coffee in the kitchen. By 3 in the afternoon, he was gone. We believe it was a cerebral hemorrhage.

Still, Dave Was isn't quite right.

As I look out at this gathering, your attendance, your individual remembrances, it's clear that actually-

Dave Is

So Dave Is and will remain in our memories through our shared experiences, his lessons, your friendship, and his love.

I have been working on these remarks periodically for years, knowing that the time would come when my teacher and friend would no longer be available for consultation.

I will continue to think of him often for many reasons, but as a son, there is also a bit of rebellion.

Specifically, on every project, I always keep a ready quiver of nails or screws in my mouth, and he will always be there saying -

'Oh boy, I wish you wouldn't do that.'

The balance of these remarks was conceived on the road up from Miami and codified at Dave's desk among the photographs and memorabilia of a rich and full life.

One stand out is a recent card to my mother Nancy, which reads in part -

"When I wait in the car, and you run into the store to grab a few things, I watch you walk your walk, and I can't help but smile to myself."

Dave Is

But Dave Was too -

He was curious

A library of over 1000 books greeted visitors at 42nd Street, and dinner times filled with trips to the World Book were not uncommon.

He was Inventive

When he and his friends began diving in the Great Lakes he decided he wanted to film their adventures. So he designed and built water-tight, pressure-resistant housings for movie and still cameras.

He was efficient

Never has an apple been nipped so close to the core, nor an ear of corn been stripped so clean to the cob.

He was funny

But his mother handled the jokes; he had a drier and more subtle wit.

He was a morning person.

When you wake up - get up, when you get up, do something

He was a hunter

Days spent with his brother-in-law Bob, Dale Roberts, and a host of others have done no long-term damage to the quail population of Southern Indiana. But the walks in the woods were wonderful.

He was a musician

Though the gut-bucket gets scant love in orchestral circles

He was adventurous

Go down that hole and see what that roaring sound is

He was a delegator

Son, go down that hole and see what the roaring sound is

He was practical

Daughter: what are you doing to the dog's ear

Father: biting it; if I spank him, it just hurts my hand

He was busy

He was in his 80's when he started and completed his six sigma certification, a business strategy for maximizing production process capabilities and management. I imagine there is also a resume in a draft email ready to go to a possible future collaborator.

He was eloquent

That's a bunch of yakamachi.

He was an engineer

A Purdue mechanical engineer who loved to figure out how to build things and played an important role in the production process for the Allison TF41 low by-pass turbofan jet engine. LTV A7 Corsair 11

He was a teacher

Puckett, he's just carrying around those poles cause everyone else is; get over here.

He was smart

If he couldn't figure it out, maybe it couldn't be done, or maybe you just needed to tap into an available labor pool of eager boy scouts

He was skeptical

Especially if your name was Andy Simonson

He was dedicated

10 years of Great Lakes diving with Ropkey, Cohrs, and Lange

25 years at General Motors collaborating with Dunn, Revtak, and Snow

50 plus years with 2nd Church growing with the likes of Hudnut, Enright, and Shivers

60 plus years with Kriplen in a management role for Madelyn, Kate, and Marsh

He was a believer

He believed in Jesus Christ, our Lord, the life everlasting, evolution, and science.

He was open-minded

Faith is important, and so are facts

He was chivalrous

Ask my Brother-in-law

He was sincere

When you shake someone's hand, you use a firm grip and look them in the eye

So Dave Is

Blessed with good health and mental acuteness to the end, he was well into the bonus rounds of life and able to spend time with five grandchildren.

One last characteristic, brevity

Big kids take care of little kids. A mantra I believe encapsulates Dave's ethos, which I have tried to emulate as a parent and pass on as a life guide to his granddaughter.

On June 21st, he went to bed early, but by midnight he was up with his wife enjoying their ritual of Popcorn and Port. No surprise, he went to bed feeling better.

One last lap.

Donald David Kriplen