Thanks for the suggestions but I finally got it to work in Reaper.
ReaSamploMatic5000 does it for me. Using info from only the first half of Kenny Gioia's video "Trigger a Drum Sample using ReaGate". I set up 4 tracks with ReaSamploMatic5000 as a plug in on each track. Imported individual .wav files (Actually used "import item from arrangement" to each instance/track plug in of ReaSamploMatic5000 . Set the midi start note and end note to be the same notes, Start C-3 and End C-3 for my first sample/track. Start D-3 and End D-3 for my second sample/track, and so on...
As the video describes I set each track input to MIDI: All Midi. Input Monitoring = On. Record button = On "red".
Now the 4 lowest keys on my iRigKeys37 act as my midi triggers for each sound clip. I hit C-3, D-3, E-3 or F-3 and and my samples are triggered individually from beginning to end then stop. The longest sample is 7.1 seconds and no problem.
Note; the playback transport is not used. But, just in case I bump the space bar I have all other tracks in this project muted. I'm not sure if I can delete the actual recordings or not so I'm just leaving them there.
I have closed and reopened the project and everything loads up and works upon reopening.
So my little IRigKeys37 will be connected to my laptop for the skit.

Does the noise in your head bother me ?