Past Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association President Dies

John Riepenhoff III, 45, died July 21 at Riverside Methodist Hospitals after a heart attack.

Riepenhoff owned Riepenhoff Landscape, which he started with a tractor and homemade trailer when he was 14 years old. Today, the company employs as many as 60 people during the spring and summer. It was incorporated in 1974.

"John was very well-respected in the landscape community, both by his peers and his competitors'' said Bill Stalter, executive director of the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association, of which Riepenhoff was a past president and board member. Riepenhoff also was a past president of the Columbus Landscape Association.

Riepenhoff Landscape does both residential and commercial landscaping. Its two most recent projects involved planting and irrigation work at Easton, a shopping center, and at the Columbus Zoo's newest exhibit, the African Forest, Congo Expedition.

"He was probably one of the most talented landscape designers I've seen,'' said Chuck Balk, vice president of operations for Riepenhoff Landscape. "Everyone around here is shocked. He will be greatly missed.''

Riepenhoff also was known for having fun. "He was kind of a human dynamo,'' Stalter said. "While working, you felt his energy if you were around him, and it was infectious. He was a fun guy to be around.''

A funeral Mass for Riepenhoff was held July 25. Survivors include his wife, Tess; son, John "Jay'' Riepenhoff IV; parents, Dr. John and Nancy Riepenhoff; brother Don Riepenhoff; and sisters Ellen and Susanne Riepenhoff and Jill Riepenhoff Good.