Vi Ripken Dies At 82

ABERDEEN, MD — Violet Ripken died Feb. 26. She was 82.

She is the widow of Cal Ripken Sr. and the mother of Ellen, Cal Jr., Fred and Bill Ripken.

Vi Ripken was known for her generous spirit.

She had been a board member and volunteer for the Harford County Boys & Girls Club and hosted a ladies-only golf tournament to benefit the organization annually since 1998 called Vi Ripken Diamonds in the Rough.

Along with Cal Sr., she was also involved in supporting the Special Olympics.

Violet met Cal Ripken Sr. at Aberdeen High School, according to The Baltimore Sun. They wed in 1957, and he went on to play for and manage the Baltimore Orioles. His sons Cal Jr. and Billy followed in his footsteps to become Major League Baseball players before he died in 1999.

Violet Ripken was the honorary founding chairwoman of the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, which has sponsored youth programs since its founding in 2001.

She was described as "quite the force" and one who "handled herself with strength and grace" on her memorial tribute page.

In her 70s, Vi Ripken targeted by criminals in two separate cases.

In October 2013, she thwarted a robbery attempt outside a bank in Aberdeen by a Havre de Grace man who said his behavior was drug-driven.

In July 2012, Vi Ripken was abducted and bound by a man who remains at large after he drove her around in her vehicle before returning her, unharmed, to her Aberdeen home.

She passed away the day before her 83rd birthday, according to her obituary.

"She was a friend to many and a foe to none," one person wrote on her memorial tribute page. "She loved her baseball family and games."

One man recalled how she got him tickets to the IronBirds game where he proposed to his girlfriend. He said now they have been married nearly 20 years and have five children.

"They taught us by example how important family is," another couple posted on the tribute page.

Visitation for Ripken is limited to family and friends and will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 2, at Tarring-Cargo Funeral Home, 333 S. Parke St., Aberdeen, MD 21001. People must adhere to coronavirus protocols, such as wearing face coverings and maintaining distance. Her final resting place is private, according to the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may go to the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, 1427 Clarkview Road, Suite 100, Baltimore, MD 21209; or to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County, P.O. Box 1106, Aberdeen, MD 21001.