Former Nashville Council member Rip Ryman dies of pancreatic cancer at 86 – Tennessean

Former Nashville Council Member Irvin Carney “Rip” Ryman died Monday after a months-long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 86. 

Ryman previously represented the Goodlettsville area on Metro Council, between 2003 to 2011, and served as special assistant to former mayors Richard Fulton and Bill Boner. He also worked under both terms of former Mayor Phil Bredesen.  

Ryman was diagnosed with cancer in March and has been “doing his best to fight it,” Council Member Zach Young told The Tennessean Tuesday, who described Ryman as active in the Goodlettsville community for several decades including serving as state director of the Dixie Youth Baseball baseball program for 27 years. 

Young, who represents the area, said he visited with Ryman a month ago. He said he was shocked to hear he had died from Vice Mayor Jim Shulman. 

“I am so sorry to hear about the passing of former Councilmember Rip Ryman. He played so many major roles in Metro Government. I served on the Council with Rip; he was also my friend,” Shulman told The Tennessean.

“I will miss him. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family,” he said. 

Young said he got particularly close with Ryman during his first year council. He passed a resolution in April honoring Ryman’s service to the city. 

“He had lots of insight and a lot to share,” Young said. “He carried a big stick.” 

Ryman graduated East High School in 1952 and went on to serve in the Korean War from 1952 to 1954. He attended Belmont College and the University of Tennessee. 

He previously worked for the Western Electric Company and served as a member of Board of Directors for the Metropolitan Development and Housing Authority in the 1980s. He recently served on the Metro Sports Authority. 

Visitations are scheduled at the Cole & Garrett Funeral Home in Goodlettsville Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Funeral services are planned for Thursday at following visitations. 

Yihyun Jeong covers politics in Nashville for USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE. Reach her at yjeong@tennessean.com and follow her on Twitter @yihyun_jeong.

Published 6:28 PM EDT Sep 22, 2020