Riponites paid homage to their “gentle giant” of a leader Friday with a heart-and-soul tribute. 

Longtime police chief and former mayor of Ripon, Red Nutt, 77, was eulogized before hundreds of his friends following his unexpected death outside his home in late November.

Retired Pastor Glen Shirk put it simply, “Red’s life was one of service to the community. The more I got to know Red, the more I respected him – a friend, a hero, private about his faith.”

Shirk pointed out that Red kept his religious affiliation to himself while he opened his Bible at home every day.  “Just because a person is private about his faith doesn’t mean it is not there,” he insisted.  “He touched our lives in many different ways.”

 “Our job is to have faith in one another and to comfort one another. I think we can honor his memory by caring for this community. I would say to Red, ‘Thank you for a job well done for making Ripon a better place to live.’”

Ripon’s current Mayor Chuck Winn said he and Nutt had several 1-on-1 conversations about the city council recently after he missed two meetings with Nutt heading the meeting in his place.  Nutt was recently selected to assume the mayoral position in January after Winn had been elected to the county board of supervisors.

Winn added that his friend was excited about taking the reins once again and had been preparing for the change in leadership.

Those in the church honoring Nutt included members of the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors past and present, as well as San Joaquin County Sheriff Steve Moore.

Nutt had been raised in Fowler before entering the Navy in ’54 where he served as a boiler operator on the USS Hornet (CVA 12).  Winn added that Nutt’s community service began in 1965 when he was hired on as a Ripon police officer, becoming a sergeant in 1972 and chief in 1982.  He held the chief’s position for nine years.

In 2002, he was appointed to the planning commission and was first elected to the city council two years later.  He served in various committees and commissions while on the council, most notable the Local Agency Formation Commission where he ultimately held the chairman’s role.

Nutt also served as Post Commander of the Ripon American Legion Post 190 in 2004 and again in 2011, as well as president of the Ripon Lions. He was also a two-time president of the Ripon Chamber of Commerce, auxiliary member of the VFW and volunteered as a docent at the Veterans Museum where he could be seen playing his guitar.

“He was like a magnet and people would naturally congregate around him,” quipped Winn, who said it was a privilege serving with him on the city council for eight years. “He brought a unique perspective from his membership in his many organizations, personal friendships and just by walking around town.”

Winn said he will truly miss his hearty laugh and presence on the council.  He feels he benefitted greatly from Winn’s wisdom and insights into the community. 

“Red wore a lot of hats – husband, father, grandfather, police chief, community leader, neighbor and friend.  I saw him as a strong man who loved his family, his city and country.  Additionally, he was loved and admired by the wide circle of people he touched,” Winn stressed.

“There never was anyone quite like him and never will be again.  He was a true original.  He has made his family and community proud,” Winn added.  “Ripon is most definitely a better place because of Red Nutt.”

Ernie Tyhurst, American Legion Commander, said he served under Nutt as a sergeant when he worked at the police department.  In an attempt to lighten the mood on Friday, Tyhurst recalled when he went to work as a Ripon police officer and Nutt learned that he played guitar – Nutt’s favorite instrument.  When they played together, Tyhurst recalled, they realized their choice of music was quite different. 

“Mine was more like the Beach Boys,” Tyhurst said, “and his followed a military beat. After that he never asked me to bring it back again. I could tell a lot of stories from the P.D., but what happened in the P.D. stayed in the P.D.,” he quipped.

As for his Legion membership, Nutt was always a presence at the annual Lions Spaghetti Feed during the Almond Festival.  He was not there as a guest but in the kitchen preparing the dinner with his wife Bonnie at his side.  They were a very close couple during their 55 years of marriage, joined by three children, six grandchildren and one great grandchild.

A touching thank you to the community came from Red’s family:

“As difficult as this sudden loss has been to our family, we recognize this is also a great loss to Ripon.  Red was very proud of this community.  It is impossible for us to thank each and every one of you personally for the prayers and support offered during this difficult time, so we would like to take this opportunity to say, ‘Thank you.’  

“We cherish the many memories that this community has shared with us.  We know that Red touched many lives and many lives touched Red.  It has been our privilege to share our husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather with the community he loved so much.”

The ceremony ended with the family members being escorted outside the church to witness a 21-gun salute by members of Ripon High School’s JROTC.

Congressman Jeff Denham entered Nutt’s passing into the Congressional Record on Thursday by saying, “Mr. Speaker, I rise today to posthumously honor the life of the Vice Mayor of the Ripon City Council, Elden ‘Red’ Nutt who passed away November 21, 2014.”

At the conclusion of his remarks, Denham said, “Mr.  Speaker, please join me in celebrating the life of Ripon City Council’s Vice Mayor Elden ‘Red’ Nutt and all of his admirable contributions to the safety and betterment of his community.”

The memorial ceremony ended with the strains of a lone bagpiper and the bugling of Taps.