{"id":14008,"date":"2020-09-09T02:35:01","date_gmt":"2020-09-09T08:35:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/?p=14008"},"modified":"2020-09-09T02:35:01","modified_gmt":"2020-09-09T08:35:01","slug":"coffee-shop-founder-dead-at-55","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/2020\/09\/09\/coffee-shop-founder-dead-at-55\/","title":{"rendered":"Coffee Shop Founder Dead At 55"},"content":{"rendered":"

Todd Rippo\u2014Dec. 14, 1964 to Aug. 19, 2020<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

By Eric Valentine<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"
Todd Anthony Rippo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The man known best for founding Java coffee shops with the tagline \u201cWake Up And Live\u201d and a signature mocha called the Bowl of Soul passed away at his home in Del Mar, Calif., on Aug. 19. He was 55. Those who know him best were also keenly aware of his musical talents and other things like how he named coffee shop dishes after the people he loved most, like his daughter Frankie, who has an oatmeal dish namesake.<\/p>\n

\u201cTodd adored his beautiful daughter, \u201cFrankie\u201d\u2014Francesca Rippo. She was the light and love of his life. He beamed with pride when she rode on the back of his motorcycle or learned to skateboard, ski, or surf. They shared a love of music and had their own language. He was so proud to be anywhere with Frankie,\u201d Rippo\u2019s obituary said.<\/p>\n

Other Bits From His Obit<\/b><\/p>\n

Hometown\u2014Rippo was born on Dec. 14, 1964, in San Diego. A true native San Diegan, his early years were spent in Point Loma, Ocean Beach, Mission Hills, La Jolla, Del Mar, and Rancho Santa Fe. He received a bachelor\u2019s degree from UC San Diego.<\/p>\n

Interests\u2014Todd was a rock star in every sense of the word. Music was his pulse. He awoke each morning with a song in his head and had an uncanny ability to spontaneously riff remarkable lyrics. Band night with Todd was legendary. His taste in music was original and eclectic. You never knew if Miles Davis, Bowie, or Hiss Golden Messenger would be spinning on his old-school turntable while he enjoyed a cigar.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\u201cSome people play golf, I play in a band\u201d – Todd Rippo. Photo credit: Christopher Sias<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2018, Todd released his first album, \u201cThought I Knew You.\u201d This was a compilation of many of his favorite original songs. The album is a raw and soulful glimpse into Todd\u2019s captivating mind, his life, and his loves.<\/p>\n

Personality\u2014Todd was larger than life. His remarkable energy captivated all who met and knew him. Todd was always the coolest guy in the room, but not for the reasons one often associates with the word. He was cool because he was both unsettlingly powerful and profoundly fragile all at once. Todd was fearless and brave, yet had no fear of showing you his vulnerabilities. He was the epitome of manliness, yet fostered and proudly displayed his feminine side simultaneously.<\/p>\n

A beautiful man, he was generous, sexy, elegant, and romantic. Todd was a deep thinker, inquisitive, complex, and clever. He was superstitious, stubborn, spiritual, political and soulful. He was remarkably intelligent, funny, and fiercely loyal to those he loved. When Todd loved you, you felt chosen. He was magic.<\/p>\n

There wasn\u2019t a disingenuous bone in his body. He was a profoundly sensitive old soul. He had a singular, enviable sense of style and impeccable taste. Aside from music, Todd loved art, passionate and creative people, skateboards, dive bars, live concerts, socks, beach walks, leather jackets, a chain wallet, motorcycles, beautiful women, a great cigar, and a \u201cgood\u201d margarita. He kept treasures and talismans in his pockets, a coin given to him by his Navy SEAL friends, a knife from his father, and a Chimayo cross from his sister. Todd loved his home. It was a magical place to gather for sunsets, Todd\u2019s \u201cAlmost Famous Cookies\u201d and cigar nights lasting well into the night.<\/p>\n

Todd always said, \u201cI love you.\u201d He often cried. Todd greeted you with a bear hug and a kiss.<\/p>\n

Business\u2014The Idaho Java coffee shops located in Ketchum, Hailey, Boise and Twin Falls are his legacy. It all started with pre-law student Todd studying in coffee shops in San Diego. Todd fell in love with the coffee culture. He bought a motorcycle and took some time off from school to figure out his life. That motorcycle took him out of California and to the front door of what is now Java on Fourth in Ketchum. Todd was and still is the heartbeat, soul and rock & roll of this thriving business.<\/p>\n

Family\u2014Todd was preceded in death by Anthony J. Rippo, M.D. He is survived by his daughter Francesca Rippo, mother Madeline D\u2019Atri Rippo, father Rick Maxey, sister Annie \u201cBelle\u201d Rippo-VeneKlasen, brothers Tobin and Josh Rippo, stepbrothers and sisters, and innumerable in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.<\/p>\n

\u201cTodd\u2019s departure from this life will leave a lasting void in all our lives. He was the brightest of shooting stars. Fly free, soar with the angels and rock the heavens, Todd,\u201d his family said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Todd Rippo\u2014Dec. 14, 1964 to Aug. 19, 2020 By Eric Valentine The man known best for founding Java coffee shops with the tagline \u201cWake Up And Live\u201d and a signature mocha called the Bowl of Soul passed away at his home in Del Mar, Calif., on Aug. 19. He was 55. Those who know him […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14014,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","_pvb_checkbox_block_on_post":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,21,36],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-14008","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"category-obituary","9":"category-slider"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14008","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14008"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14008\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14014"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14008"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14008"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14008"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}