S. Dillon Ripley, Smithsonian head, 87

["Deathwatch Central" <cdw@slick.org>]

Monday March 12 1:05 PM ET

Former Head of Smithsonian Dies 


WASHINGTON (AP) - S. Dillon Ripley, who headed the museums and research of
the Smithsonian Institution (news - web sites) for 20 years, died Monday
in the George Washington University Hospital.

He was 87. An announcement by the Smithsonian said he died of pneumonia.

While Ripley was secretary, from 1964 to 1984, the Smithsonian founded
eight new museums and seven new research facilities. Among them was the
Air and Space Museum, the capital's most popular with more than 9 million
visitors a year.

Under his leadership, the number of visits to Smithsonian museums
increased from 10.8 million annually to more than 30 million.

``With his limitless curiosity and vast intellect, he expanded the scope,
reach and impact of this institution in many ways,'' said Lawrence Small,
the current secretary.

``To this day, we are still trying to live up to his legacy.''

When he retired in 1984, Ripley returned to one of the Smithsonian's key
establishments, the Museum of Natural History, for full-time service in
ornithology - the study of birds. He specialized on the birds of India, an
interest that began on a visit there with his parents when he was 13.

After graduating from Yale University, Ripley decided that he was more
interested in birds than in becoming a lawyer and studied zoology at
Columbia University.

During World War II he left a job as assistant curator of birds to join
the Office of Strategic Services, the predecessor of the Central
Intelligence Agency (news - web sites). He coordinated British and
American intelligence services for the Southeast Asia Command. In that job
he met his future wife, Mary Livingston. She died in 1997.

Ripley is survived by three daughters - Julie Dillon Miller, Rosemary
I. Ripley, Sylvia McNeill Addison - and 11 grandchildren. 



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