Local man's moniker raises some eyebrows

Rip Van Winkle has insomnia.

"I went to the doctor's office and the irony is incredible. 'My name is Rip Van Winkle, and I can't sleep,'" he laughed. And no, he doesn't have a long white beard, either.

The fairy tale name is real and on his birth certificate. Van Winkle said his father and grandfather were nicknamed Rip, and his dad didn't want to delay the inevitable. So he made things official for his son.

The moniker has been the source of plenty of bad jokes and incredulous reactions over the years, but Van Winkle wouldn't change it.

"It's cool, because you get a chance to be yourself," he said, adding that there were plenty of Johns and Sams out there. "How many Rip Van Winkles do you meet?"

Leave it to Van Winkle to turn a potential negative into a positive.

The 37-year-old puts his sleepless hours to good use watching movies or reading a wide range of volumes, including many bought at garage sales. Often, he reads about how things are made or built, and that benefits his business.

Van Winkle, who owns and operates Rip Van Winkle Residential Contract and Repair, prides himself on being able to fix almost anything. And he often tells clients to make repairs rather than buy a replacement. "Society is becoming too disposable," he said.

People in Corvallis are into sustainability, so they're more likely to fix things, Van Winkle said.

Van Winkle moved here in October with his partner, Kari Whitacre. They have been together for more than a year, but were previously living separately in Eastern Oregon. The move came partly because Whitacre, who Van Winkle met through an online dating service, found a job as the development director for Community Outreach.

Whitacre has three daughters, Colee Whitnah, 13, Mady Whitnah, 10, and Abby Whitnah, 6. Van Winkle has a 3-year-old daughter, Rylee, from a previous marriage.

"I was a bachelor for two or three years before I met Kari. That being the case, it was definitely a transition. Their favorite color is pink, but I abhor pink," he said.

The girls love Corvallis, however, and the couple does, too, because they are "foodies" and wine lovers.

Van Winkle said he doesn't have a shortage of work in Corvallis, and that he's beginning to build a reputation with his business. He's got a leg up on the competition in one way: Nobody will forget his name.

RIP VAN WINKLE

Age: 37

Born: Fairchild Air Force Base, near Spokane

Job: Sole proprietor of Rip Van Winkle Residential Contract and Repair

Family: Van Winkle lives in Corvallis with his partner, Kari Whitacre, and her three daughters, Colee Whitnah, 13, Mady Whitnah, 10, and Abby Whitnah, 6. His 3-year-old daughter Rylee Van Winkle lives in Walla Walla, Wash. His sister, Mariah Van Winkle, attends classes at Oregon State University.

Weird reaction: Van Winkle once introduced himself at a bar and a man bet him $35 that he was lying about his name.