Salvatore "Sam" Ralph Trippi, USMC & USAF Veteran

Salvatore “Sam” Ralph Trippi spent 30 years serving our country in the United States Marine Corps (Staff Sergeant) and the United States Air Force (Chief Master Sergeant). He went to boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina. He met his wife, Minnie “Ruth” Mills, while he was stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. They married in 1952 and had six children, thirteen grandchildren, and fifteen great grandchildren. They were married for 65 years before Ruth passed away in 2018.

Sam served the country during the Korean War and Vietnam War, and he was stationed at numerous locations such as Hawaii, Kansas, Brussels, Saigon, England, Ohio, and Texas.

After he retired from the Air Force as a Chief Master Sergeant, they moved from Texas to Dothan, Alabama where he worked for Michelin for 10 years. 

After retiring from Michelin, Sam and Ruth moved their family to Greenville, South Carolina where he went to work for Textron Lycoming (now AlliedSignal). 

After retiring in 2000 from Textron, Sam and Ruth settled in Fountain Inn, South Carolina. He loved walking around downtown Fountain Inn talking to everyone that would listen. He would stop by Grand South Bank, Burdette’s, Fletcher’s, and other businesses getting coffee for himself and pens, notepads, and candy for the children and grandchildren. Some people may not have known his name, but if you mentioned the man on Main Street wearing a military ball cap and carrying a white Styrofoam coffee cup, they’d know exactly who you were talking about.

Sam went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, October 11, 2022.