MOUNT VERNON — The Rev. David A. Ripley of East Providence, R.I., and Mount Vernon, died peacefully on Wednesday, July 14.

He was born in Abington, Mass., Jan. 9, 1930, the son of Arthur Lincoln and Annie May Blanchard Ripley. He was educated in the public schools of Abington and Boston, Mass., and Putnam, Conn.

He received his bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa., in 1952, and his master of sacred theology degree from Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa., in 1956.

He was blessed by meeting Edna Mae Ferguson while a student at Dickinson College and they were married in 1949.

Rev. Ripley was a member of the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church. He served parishes in Morton, Pa., Uncasville and East Hartford, Conn., and Lincoln and Newport, R.I. While he was pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church in Lincoln, he oversaw the merger of four churches and the construction of a new church and parsonage. While in Newport, he oversaw the restoration of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church which was built in 1806 and was the first Methodist Church built with a steeple and bell.

He was pastor emeritus of Wesley United Methodist Church in Lincoln, R.I., and was a member of Columbia Lodge No. 25 A.F. & A. M. Lodge in Glastonbury, Conn.; Mill Stream Grange in Vienna and was active in the Caring Clowns Ministry of United Methodist Elder Care in East Providence, R.I.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Edna and their children, spouses and grandchildren: son, David Ripley and his wife, Renee Harvitt, and their children, Craig and Linda; daughter, Doris Anderman and her husband, Mark and their two daughters, Cara Anderman and Devin Burns and her husband, Kyle; daughter, Denise Ripley and her husband, Ken Gober; son, Don Ripley and his wife, Cindy and their three daughters, Heather Ripley, Kristen Ripley and her wife, Tina Taylor, and Dawn Wiley and her husband, Kevin Wiley; his sister, Myrtle M. Bates of Abington, Mass.; a sister-in-law, Helen L. Ripley of Pembroke, Mass.; and a multitude of nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was predeceased by his brother, Meredith Ripley.

Condolences and tributes may be shared with his family at www.wilesrc.com.