Obituary of Henry Wm. Kipp

No Visitation is planned Henry William (Hank) Kipp Hank was born 12/14/1930 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Dr. Harold A. Kipp (a pioneering thoracic surgeon) and Margarita Boettger Kipp, and died 6/29/2009 in Olympia, Washington. He is survived by his wife, Elaine J. (Maki) Kipp of Olympia; their children Thomas Kipp and Laurie Kipp (Haili), both of Seattle, WA; his sister Catherine Devereux, of Louisville, Colorado; 3 nieces—Lisa Karns (Ed), Karen Strawn (husband Daniel, daughter Astrea), and Juliana Hagel (children Nicole, Christopher and Sheila); and 5 nephews—Peter Kipp (Yeo Ok), David Kipp (Paulissa), Matt Kipp, George Kipp (Juliet), and William Kipp. Hank was preceded in death by his parents (Harold—6/12/1964; Margarita—2/19/1995), and by his brother (Harold S. (Dick) Kipp—5/8/2005). He was educated at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh (class of 1949); Trinity College in Hartford, CT (B.A. in History, 1954); the University of Idaho in Moscow (B.S. in Forestry); and the University of Montana (M.A. in Natural Resources Management, 1972). Working on summer trail crews in Glacier National Park (1950-51) sparked a passionate interest in pursuing forestry as his profession. Hank began formal study at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina (1956-58) and received his degree from Idaho in 1960. He completed additional studies in range management there during 1961-62, at which time he met Elaine, then working as a librarian at the University of Idaho. They were married 6/22/1962, in her hometown of Aurora, Minnesota. Following a honeymoon trip to Banff, Alberta, he began a 32-year professional forestry career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation (Browning, Montana). Further assignments took them to the Flathead Reservation (Dixon, MT, 1963-68) and to the Rocky Boy’s Reservation (Box Elder, MT, 1968-71). Following a year in Missoula, MT, Hank returned to Rocky Boy’s as the tribe’s natural resources specialist, with the family relocating to nearby Havre, MT, where Tom and Laurie eventually completed high school. In May 1983 Hank was transferred to the Jicarilla Apache Reservation in Dulce, New Mexico, and in November 1985 he was promoted to his final assignment, at the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. Between 1985 and April 1994 he researched and published Indians in Agriculture: An Historical Sketch (1583-1987) and A Short History of Irrigation on Indian Agricultural Lands of the United States (1988), and also served as BIA’s sole representative on an early government task force studying global climate change. Hank and Elaine retired to Olympia, Washington in October 1994, where Hank took immense pleasure in developing a full-fledged “arboretum” on their half-acre property, while also serving as secretary for the local chapter of the Society of American Foresters, an organization to which he belonged for 49 years, joining as an undergraduate in 1960. He was proud to be a “certified forester” who could thereby do consulting work, a status he maintained to the end of his life. He was also an accomplished artist, particularly with pen & ink and oil paints, and an avid musician who played both acoustic guitar and boogie woogie piano. Hank was renowned throughout his life for the ability to make friends of every age and description, his punning wit, his boundless energy for written correspondence, and for nurturing a dazzling variety of plants and trees, which invariably transformed every place where he resided. He also adored music—from Baroque counterpoint to boogie woogie piano, from Bill Monroe’s bluegrass to John Lee Hooker’s blues, jazz from Jelly Roll Morton to John Coltrane, and all manner of rock, from the day he first heard Chuck Berry’s “Roll Over Beethoven” in 1956. Neil Young and Richard Thompson were two other particular favorites. Hank was warmly loved and widely admired by friends and family, and will be sorely missed by all who knew him. He was a good, kind, caring man every day of his life, and we already miss having his positive influence and gracious enthusiasm in our lives. He truly lived his Christian beliefs, doing good for others and being a cheerful servant. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, July 19th at 2:00pm, at the United Churches of Olympia, 110 11th Avenue SE. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Memory of Henry 'Hank' Kipp be made to one or more of the following: Childhelp USA 15757 N. 78th St. Scottsdale, AZ 85260 United Churches MPJ 110 11th Ave SE Olympia, WA 98501 SW WA Chapter of the Society of American Foresters Send your donation to: Adrian Miller WA Forest Protection Association 724 Columbia St NW Olympia, WA 98501 Dad’s Profound, Eternal Impressions Embrace the world Nurture what is around you Remain inclusive to all who happen your way Face life’s challenges with humility and humor Strength is unconditional love We love you Dad, Laurie You may leave memories and condolences bt clicking on 'View Guestbook' below.