Nancy Ripley
– April 2, 2011
</span><br />Nancy Ripley, professionally known as Nancy Porter-Thal died on Saturday, April 2, 2011. Ms. Porter-Thal was a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. Nancy graduated from the Arizona State University. She began her career in Phoenix where she was awarded Teacher of the Year. Subsequently, she was a professor at the University of Miami and Nova University.</p>
<p>Nancy moved to the Tampa Bay area in the 1980s. Ms. Porter-Thal was one of the first certified family law mediators in the state of Florida and became widely known and respected for her expertise in helping divorcing families mediate their disputes. In 1988, she authored the book, Parents, Children and Divorce and the Parenting Plan, books which are used today in divorce mediation, her books have been translated to German, Spanish and Korean.</p>
<p>Nancy opened her home to abused and battered women. She also worked tirelessly, feeding the homeless.</p>
<p>She writes a weekly newspaper column titled, ‘Whit and Whimsy’.</p>
<p>Of all her many accomplishments: author, mediator, professor, counselor, just to name a few, her proudest roles were as a wife to Millard (Rip) Ripley and as a mother and grandmother. Besides her husband, she leaves her children, Jeff (Kelly) and Stuart...and her "little angels", her four granddaughters: McKenna, twins, Lily and Molly and Colette.</p>
<p>Nancy was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She will be deeply missed.</p>
<p>At her request, services will be private. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Heart Association.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;">
<p>Nancy moved to the Tampa Bay area in the 1980s. Ms. Porter-Thal was one of the first certified family law mediators in the state of Florida and became widely known and respected for her expertise in helping divorcing families mediate their disputes. In 1988, she authored the book, Parents, Children and Divorce and the Parenting Plan, books which are used today in divorce mediation, her books have been translated to German, Spanish and Korean.</p>
<p>Nancy opened her home to abused and battered women. She also worked tirelessly, feeding the homeless.</p>
<p>She writes a weekly newspaper column titled, ‘Whit and Whimsy’.</p>
<p>Of all her many accomplishments: author, mediator, professor, counselor, just to name a few, her proudest roles were as a wife to Millard (Rip) Ripley and as a mother and grandmother. Besides her husband, she leaves her children, Jeff (Kelly) and Stuart...and her "little angels", her four granddaughters: McKenna, twins, Lily and Molly and Colette.</p>
<p>Nancy was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She will be deeply missed.</p>
<p>At her request, services will be private. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Heart Association.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;">