John Lipps Obituary

Part-time Durango resident John Odel Lipps died Sunday, March 28, 2010, in Bonita Springs, Fla. He was 80.

Mr. Lipps was born to Fredrick and Emma Grace Galbraith Lipps on March 11, 1930, in Bluford, Ill.

He was a clarinetist in the Navy Band in occupied Japan from 1950 to 1954. While in Japan, he also played jazz with the

Blue Jacks.

In July 1964, he joined King City Federal Bank in Mount Vernon, Ill., as vice president and loan officer. Mr. Lipps was

elected to the bank's board of directors in 1967, was promoted to executive vice president in 1969 and elected

president in February 1981.

On May 17, 1997, he married Lee Williamson in Mount Vernon. The couple purchased a summer home at the Glacier Club that

year, where they enjoyed hosting musicians for Music in the Mountains, golfing and playing bridge. They also played

bridge at the Durango-La Plata Senior Center and golfing at Hillcrest Golf Club.

The Lippses attended St. Columba Catholic Church when at their summer home. In Estero, Fla., they attended Our Lady of

Lights Catholic Church and in Mount Vernon, they attended St. Mary's Catholic Church.

He loved music and was an accomplished musician, proficient in piano, clarinet and harmonica. He also sang baritone. In

Mount Vernon, he enjoyed singing with the barbershop quartet and the First Presbyterian Church Choir.

He enjoyed woodworking and was publicly recognized in his community for the creation and building of butterfly houses

as gifts for his friends and to organizations where he lived, including at least one in Durango for a children's cancer

fundraiser.

Mr. Lipps was involved in the community and believed in helping people, his family wrote. He was the recipient of the

Lambert Steffens Citizenship Award.

Some of the organizations and boards Mr. Lipps was active with in Illinois include Jefferson County Chamber of

Commerce; Mount Vernon Downtown Development Corp.; trustee of the Mitchell Foundation; the Illinois League of Financial

Institutions; First Presbyterian Church; YMCA of Jefferson County; and Okaw Valley Boy Scouts. He was a member of

Jefferson County Housing Authority, United Way of Jefferson County, Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club, Mount Vernon Elks Lodge,

and the Mount Vernon Jaycees.

Mr. Lipps was preceded in death by his first wife, Patsy Hicks.

He is survived by his wife of 12 years, Lee Lipps, of Mount Vernon, Entero and Durango; sons Mark Lipps of Manhattan

Beach, Calif., Rick Lipps of St. Louis and Andrew Lipps of Irmo, S.C.; daughter, Jennie Mestel of Albany, Ind.;

stepchildren Laura Schaubert, Meg Hattendorf and Patrick Williamson, all of Mount Vernon; brother, W. Robert Lipps of

Mount Vernon; 12 grandchildren; nine stepgrandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. today, March 31, 2010, at Hughey Funeral Home in Mount Vernon. A funeral

will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 1, 2010, also at Hughey Funeral Home. The Rev. John Iffert will officiate.

Burial will take place at Oakwood Cemetery in Mount Vernon.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Joanne's House of Hope Hospice Facility or the American Heart Association and

will be accepted at the funeral home, Hughey Funeral Home, P.O. Box 721, Mount Vernon, IL 62864.

Online condolences may be sent to www.hugheyfuneral

home1969.com.