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Illus. Sir Denis E.
Ribordy, PP, of Naples,
FL passed away
peacefully at home on
Tuesday, September 4,
2012. Denis was born in
East Chicago, IN on July
20, 1929. He was the son
of Myrel I. and Lela (Hunsley)
Ribordy, who preceded
him in death.
He graduated from
Griffith High School in
1947 and attended Butler
University, receiving a
B.S. degree from the
Butler University
College of Pharmacy in
June 1952.
Surviving are: his wife,
Carolyn (McClurg) whom
he married on June 20,
1954; daughters: Cheryl
(Paul) Blakey of
Deerfield, IL and Nancy
Ribordy of Chicago, IL;
sons: Scott (Nadine)
Ribordy and Mark (Kay)
Ribordy all of
Valparaiso, IN;
grandchildren: Kevin,
Kyle, and Denis Ribordy,
Mark and Meghan Blakey,
and Nick, Luke, and Leah
Ribordy; also surviving
is a niece, Lori
(Richard) Wallington;
and nephews: Brian Weyhe
all of Alabama and Bruce
(Kara) Weyhe of Georgia.
His sister, Marilyn (Ribordy)
Weyhe; and nephew,
Gregory Weyhe preceded
him in death.
Compassionately cared
for by Linn and Donna
Richmond.
Denis served in the U.S.
Army Medical Services
Corps from 1952-1954 at
Camp Gordon, GA. He
became a partner in the
Hill Drug Co. in
Augusta, GA and in 1955,
had the opportunity to
buy into a drugstore at
6th and Broadway in
Gary, IN. He became the
founder and president of
Ribordy Drugs Inc., a
26-store retail drug
chain that was sold to
Walgreen Company in
1985. He then became
president and chief
executive officer of
Ribordy Enterprises that
held eight Hallmark
shops, which were sold
in 1992. Denis was a
director emeritus of the
AAA Chicago Motor Club
and had served on the
AAA Chicago Board since
1980. He was a former
chairman of the American
Red Cross, Gary Chapter,
the Northwest Indiana
Forum, and the
Affiliated Drug Stores,
New York City. Denis was
a former president of
the Gary Junior Chamber
of Commerce, Northwest
Indiana Association of
Commerce and Industry,
Gary Methodist Hospital
Board of Trustees, the
Town Board of Ogden
Dunes, the Lake County
Pharmaceutical
Association, the Better
Business Bureau of
Northwest Indiana.
He also was involved in
the Indiana
Pharmaceutical
Association, and the
National Association of
Retail Druggists and
Southern Drug Store
Association. He was also
a director of the
Northern Indiana Public
Service Company, Butler
University Board of
Trustees, Hunter
Corporation, Gainer
Bank, Mercantile
National Bank, Northwest
Indiana Forum, Indiana
State Board of Pharmacy,
City Methodist Church
and Trade Winds
Rehabilitation Center.
He was a non-resident
Vice-president of the
Indiana Society of
Chicago, and a member of
the Ogden Dunes
Presbyterian Church.
Denis received the Gary
Jaycees Outstanding
Young Man Award, 1962,
Listed in Outstanding
Young Men in America
1965, Pharmacist of the
Year Award, Lake County
Pharmacist Association,
1966, Boss of the Year
Award, American Business
Women's Association,
1966, A.H. Robins Bowl
of Hygeia Award
(Indiana's Pharmacist of
the Year), 1967, U.S.
Navy League Man of the
Year Award, 1983, SBDC
Lifetime Entrepreneur
Award, 1992, and the
1997 Trade Winds Man of
the Year Service Award,
Butler University
Trustee Medal of
Distinction, 1999. He
received the Sagamore of
the Wabash Award from
Governor Robert Orr. In
2008, he was honored to
be included in the
inaugural selection of
the Times Business and
Industry Hall of Fame.
In 2009, Denis and
Carolyn were awarded the
Butler Medal of
Distinguished Services.
Denis was involved in
many civic affiliations
including the Indiana
Retirement Communities
Inc., Indiana Chamber of
Commerce and Indiana
Nature Conservancy, and
served as a member of
the Post-Tribune
Advisory Board
1979-1980. He was also a
50 year member of the
Griffith Masonic Lodge
#735. Denis served in
the Orak Shrine Temple
Divan, serving as
Potentate in 1979. He
was a member of the
Scottish Rite Valley of
South Bend, the York
Rite and advanced to the
33rd degree in 1981.
Denis also served as
President of the Great
Lakes Shrine Association
in 1987. He received the
order of De Molay, the
Royal Order of Jesters,
the Red Cross of
Constantine and the
Sovereign Grand
Commander's
Distinguished Service
Medal in 2010. Denis and
Carolyn established the
Denis Ribordy Endowed
Scholarship for pharmacy
students interested in
community pharmacy.
In lieu of flowers,
donations may be made to
the Denis Ribordy
Scholarship in care of
the College of Pharmacy
and Health Sciences
Butler University, 4600
Sunset Ave.,
Indianapolis, IN 46208
or the 32nd degree
Masonic Learning Centers
for Children, Inc., P.O.
Box 55881, Boston, MA
02205-5881. Friends may
visit with the family on
Friday, September 7,
2012 from 12:00 to 8:00
PM with a Masonic
Service at 7:00 PM at
Geisen Funeral and
Cremation Services, 7905
Broadway, Merrillville,
IN. A second visitation
will be held on
Saturday, September 8,
2012 from 9:00 to 10:30
AM at Geisen Funeral and
Cremation Services in
Merrillville, IN.
Funeral services will be
held Saturday, September
8, 2012 at 10:30 AM at
Geisen Funeral and
Cremation Services in
Merrillville, IN with
Rev. Nancy Becker
officiating. Interment
at Calumet Park Cemetery
in Merrillville, IN.
Sign guestbook or view
directions at
www.GeisenFuneralHome.com.
(219) 769-3322 - See
more at:
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