Rito "Skip" Vribes Jr. was born in Toledo, Ohio in 1948. The first of seven children, he was born to
Pauline Kellum and Rito Vribes Sr.

If we had to describe Skip in one word - it would be ornery. The man was stubborn, but he was also passionate and outspoken, and honest to God, the man was fun. He was always the quickest to throw out a dirty joke at the kitchen table.

Skip lived a vivacious life. He marched to the beat of his own drum - literally. From the streets of Ohio to the roads of tour life to the major move to Southeast Texas, and then finally to the quiet streets of Woodlawn, TX, Skip was 100% his own man.

Skip's love of music and drumming took him on many adventures - playing with Earnest Tub, Dottie West, Ferlin Husky, and Kitty Wells, and the list could go on. Music took him to places like Nashville to record an album or to Bandera to play on the stage, and to many other places across the country.

There was only one love that rivaled the place of music in his heart - his family - but particularly his wife Dorothy. They were the perfect balance of opposites. He loved her on this earth for 54 years and he continues to do so now.

Skip wasn't a traditional parent. He taught his daughters, Crystal and Dawn, all of life's most important lessons in ways that stayed true to who he was. Those are the stories we will retell most often.

He was the best grandparent a kid could have and spoiled his grandchildren extravagantly, and when they got older, poked fun at them relentlessly.

Skip is survived by his wife Dorothy, his mother, Pauline, his siblings Bonnie Tripp, Cathy Rodriguez, Danny Vribes, and Brenda McAllister, his daughters, Crystal and Dawn, his grandchildren Amanda, Lisa, and Rodney and his great-grandchildren Kimberly and William, and Samantha, Riley, and Camille.

He is preceded in death by Rito Vribez Sr., his brothers Chuck and Jimmy Vribes, and his great- grandson Jack.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shriner's Children's Hospital in Dallas or St. Jude's Children Hospital in Skip's name.