Elizabeth "Beth" A. Ripley

Elizabeth Ann Ripley, 88, of Bridgewater, passed away peacefully at home on October 18, 2026. Known to those who loved her as Ma, Nana, Beth, Lizzy, and with good reason, The Warden. She was the undisputed head of her family. She was always in charge, she found out everything and knew when you were hiding something, and she called all the shots. When Ma came around, everyone knew to straighten up and do what they were told.

Beth’s life was marked by more loss than any mother should have to bear. She buried two daughters and a grandson that she raised. Each loss changed her, but none of them stopped her. When her daughter Pamela died, Beth raised Pamela’s son, Peter “PJ” MacLean, as her own. Sadly, he passed away in 2004. When her daughter Melissa died, Beth became the guardian of Melissa’s daughters, Ashley and Kayla spending many nights and weekends at dance and gymnastics. She carried the grief of those losses for the rest of her life. When most mothers would falter from the shattered heart, Beth continued on while carrying a heavy heart.

Age didn’t stop her. Beth also had custody of her grandson Dominic Groves for several of her later years. Beth’s grandson Logan Moniz had the gift of growing up under the same roof as his grandmother. Through all of it, her children and grandchildren came first.

Beth worked at HomeGoods and loved tap dancing, crossword puzzles, bingo, reading mystery books, gardening, and a good game of Bubbleez on her computer. In her earlier years she enjoyed crocheting.

In her final years, dementia took much of the woman her family knew, and for a long time she was not herself. Those who loved her will remember her as she truly was: sharp, strong, and always running the show.

She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Joseph T. Ripley; her children Lynn (Anderson) Kunz and her husband Brian, Steven Anderson and his wife Filomena, Holly (Anderson) Wilson and her husband Eric, Wayne Anderson and his partner Rhonda, and Robin (Ripley) Moniz and her husband David; her brother Francis Johnson; her sister Cynthia (Johnson) Tangstrom; her grandchildren Ashley and Kayla Baddeley, Dominic Groves, and Logan Moniz; Christopher Payton, Melissa Mitchell, Danny Payton, Brian Kunz, Jr, Steven Aylward, Sarah and Matthew Wilson, Matthew Bresnahan, Ryan, Reece, and Victoria Anderson. 14 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her daughters Pamela (Anderson) MacLean and Melissa Ripley; her grandson Peter “PJ” MacLean; her brother Richard F. Johnson Jr.; and her parents, Richard F. and Gertrude Johnson.

Services to be determined.