Hugh Francis (Rip) Riopelle eulogy

St. Maurice catholic

By Mike Arundel

Montagnard Ventures

Marie, Lisa, Heather and families, extended family, The Right Honorable Jean Chretien, dignitaries, HOFers, Father Tim, Father Tom and dear friends ...

A Welshman was sitting in a pub on the south side of Trafalgar Square smack dab in the heart of London where the hustle and bustle sees over two million people scurrying around on any given day.

And on this one afternoon this poor gentleman, well into his pints, is lamenting the fact that after immigrating from the Welsh countryside some 35 years earlier his very able-bodied and beloved father was unable to find work in this neighborhood.

A chap sitting two seats over, he too having been over-served offered up, “well, what did your father do?” To which the Welshman proudly replied ... “he was a shepherd.”

When asked, rip would tell you that was his favorite line. It is short, to the point and dripping with irony. That was the blueprint of Hugh Riopelle’s MO - keep it short, keep them laughing and keep moving!

The early years

Hugh grew up in the village two blocks west of Preston Street on Champagne Ave. The eldest of six children he was followed by Gerald, then Lois, Harold, Joan and finally Paddy. Growing up at 16

Champagne the door was rarely locked and the house was always alive with folks coming and going. Sundays were special according to the legendary columnist Eddie MacCabe.

All of the friends and neighbors would drop by after church. Nothing fancy, but there was the toaster always cranking on the kitchen table, cheese and crackers, song and dance and most importantly fun.

Every sunday for years. It was in that environment that Hugh Jr. Honed his skills for story telling, offering up the one-liner or singing along to his mother playing the piano.

This lad, already a survivor from a bout of polio as a youngster, he would peak at 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds soaking wet. Yet despite the size differential he would go on to excel in sports. A top ranked player in the Ottawa junior loop Hugh was a standout with

St. Pats before turning pro and signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

His first games as a pro was with the Shawinigan Cataracts in the old Quebec senior league and before he retired Hughie would see stops in Quebec City with the Aces, Ottawa with the Senators and the Wembley Lions in the English pro league. Hugh’s career finished up with the New Haven Blades in the Eastern Hockey League.

It was in new haven that Hugh found the microphone and he was a

Quick study doing post game commentary and play-by-play for the local radio station. Hugh absolutely loved the game of hockey and in

Later years he would offer up that one of his big regrets was not playing old-timers hockey long enough. He was drawn to the camaraderie and sportsmanship associated with Canada’s national pastime.

Settling down

Hugh and Marie were married for 56 years. They met on labor day in 1961 when a mutual friend introduced them. Marie was a little unsure at first glance, as this fellow acted a little too familiar out of the gate. But a meet over a cup of coffee turned into a date, and that date turned into a lengthy courtship and eventually marriage. 50 Years ago this past summer they moved kit and caboodle into 46

Canter Blvd. As Marie would recall there was no lawn mower, they had no curtains but the house had a fireplace, a lane way and the bedroom could fit the new bed. The rest, as they say, is history.

Now we all know that Hugh was an avid golfer. A member of the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club for over 66 years. He was a three-time club champion and runner-up twice. On Father’s Day in 1987 Rip had already logged 18 holes and was headed to the parking lot knowing

Full well that Marie had dinner on. As he rounded the corner by the 1st tee he heard ‘hey Rip where are you going?” Hugh replied “Heading home Marie has dinner on.” Having played pretty well his first 18, it took precious little coaxing to get him to join the group for another round. When he arrived home at 8:30 pm the coals in the bar-b-que were cold and white. His dinner plate was now in the oven.

Needless to say, Marie was at DEFCON 3. But before she could open her mouth Hughie went on offense and blurted out, “you’ll never guess what. I shot a 66 and I tied the course record today.” Unfazed, unimpressed Marie simply replied “well its about time, you’ve been playing the game for over 30 years.”

In 1999 the regular foursome of Guzzo, Lahey, Nichol and Riopelle were out on the course. Hughie and Guzzo were in the woods looking for a ball when all of a sudden Rip goes, ‘Gary help me out here, I feel like I am having a stroke.’ Well sure enough he was. As luck would have it there was a fire station close by and EMTs were there within five minutes. As they were loading Hugh onto the gurney, he started muttering to himself so one of the EMTs asked “Mr. Riopelle are you okay?” Hugh replied: “No, I am having a stroke and I know full well Guzzo will make me count it” So, it didn’t matter to Hughie, anytime was a good time for some levity and pause.

Working life

Hugh’s professional career first with Air Canada and then as head of his own consulting firm saw him engage with folks at all levels and from all walks of life. Some folks get into the consulting/lobbying business to make a lot of money. Hugh instead, made a lot of friends. It didn’t matter with him where you came from or what your title was. Everyone got the same vintage Riopelle treatment. If you needed anything and he could help – he would. His obituary said that he brought the best of old Ottawa to Parliament hill. It was true – he did. And don’t just ask the members of the Press Club Jazz Band - ask the staff at the press club and don’t just ask the members of the Hunt club – ask the staff at the Hunt club.

Friends recall that without fail Hugh would walk into a room and the energy would change. He would stop by a group of ladies who had just gotten off the golf course and two minutes later he would walk away and they would all be laughing. Then he would be talking up the wait staff or the bar keep asking how they were and how was their son who just graduated from college. It didn’t matter who you were, everyone got a little piece of Hughie.

His faith

There certainly was the public side of Hugh that everyone got to see but there was an equally important private side to the man as well. Hugh would tell his daughters Lisa and Heather that you don’t do politics, or religion in public. Keep it simple. Keep it light. This coming from a man of profound faith. On many occasions Hugh would share with his girls and anyone else he felt could use a helping hand: “You know if there is something, anything at all, that is important to you, you can always talk to the guy upstairs” he would say.

When Rip retired, he went to mass every day and didn’t miss unless there was something extraordinary that got in the way. And don’t complain about a late tee time with Hugh either. On more than one occasion when queried why such a late start on the golf

Course Rip would reply, “I had to go to mass,” followed by “I know, I know, you guys think I am cramming for the final!

His competitiveness

Many of the accomplishments in Hugh’s life were in part due to simple gifts that were bestowed upon him. Much of it though, was due to practice, his attention to detail and the fact that he hated to lose. Ever! Consolation prizes were for others. Roadblocks were there to go around and a no just means not today.

Many of you have witnessed the hours at the practice range, banging balls until the cows came home or practicing on the putting green with three different putters. Who does that? If he was going to tell a joke or a story, he would look up some additional fact just to add color or context to the story, to give it more meaning and make it funnier. And if he was hosting a party and he knew you were coming he would make sure the band knew your favorite song and he would personally tee it up at just the right time.

One area where Hugh needed work though was with teaching. When asked how he hit the ball down the centre of the fairway all the time he would simply reply, “it’s easy. Its just back and forth.” Or “take it away bring it back.” That was another piece of great technical advice he would share. And don’t dare ask him to teach you to play the bones? Not happening.

Bringing it all back home

It has already been noted that some of the children took after their father Hugh. Hughie however, took after his mother, Edith. In 1986 when it was clear Mrs. Riopelle was dying it became a vigil for Hugh. Late hours - middle of the night type stuff. ‘I wonder if I sing will she hear me?’ he asked his two nieces who were present with him. His one niece, Cathy was an RN and she told him that the last thing to go was the hearing.

So, Hugh being Hugh, began to sing to his mother and as he did there was a facial response. “It was the eyes,” said Cathy. That would be the last gift Hugh gave to his mother. In later years Hughie was more than content to be with family, especially his grandchildren. Whether it be working in the yard or listening to old comedy tapes in the sun room, Hugh took an active interest in making sure his grandchildren were happy. He also loved to sit downstairs with his son-in-law Dave watching golf on a Sunday afternoon. Hugh would often question the judgement of some of the players wondering aloud “why would he make that putt? Everyone knows that green slopes left then to the right.’ What is ironic about that comment is that

Hughie wasn’t sure what he had for breakfast that morning but he could remember the slope of a green that he had played 26 years earlier.

If you asked Hugh the question “how did you last being married for 56 years?” the answer would have been straightforward and fast – “it was all Marie. I owe her big time.” It was Marie who kept the house going and the family together he would admit. Near the end it was Marie providing care above and beyond until the very end. Her cooking, her baking, her care and her attention was what her husband needed and deserved.

Hughie was born in 1928, raised in the dirty 30s and he became a young man in the war years. And there was plenty hardship and anxiety to go around what with families simply trying to make ends meet. Folks just trying to survive. Hugh recognized the flip side of that coin and it was through his mother’s example, her kindness and gentleness, her generosity, her love of laughter and love of song that Hugh drew his inspiration.

It could be said that throughout his life Hughie was an evangelist and his gospels were joy and the golden rule - do unto others as you would have others do unto you. He lived by the credo that people don’t remember what you told them, they only remember how you made them feel. Well, he made us feel good about ourselves and it felt good to be around him.

We’ll miss him for sure. And we’ll miss the little quip, that quick line or the little ditty that inevitably put a smile on all of our faces. And finally, on behalf of everyone here and those that could not make it I want to thank my Aunt Marie and my cousins Heather and Lisa for sharing their husband and father with us, all these years.

We are forever in your debt and we love you all the days.

May Hugh rest in peace.