Harold “Butch” F. Kipp, 75, of Chehalis, Washington, passed away from renal failure on the morning of Monday, July 18, 2022.
Butch was born on Feb. 21, 1947, in Connecticut to Harold and Lorraine Kipp. During his school years, his family moved from the East Coast to California, then Toledo, and eventually to Chehalis where he graduated from W.F. West High School in 1965.
Butch had one child, Chad, with his first wife Joyce. After their marriage ended, the two maintained an amicable relationship centered around their shared love of their son Chad and his children.
In 1977, Butch married Diane and became a proud stepfather to her two children Dawn Renée and Darin. In their nearly 45 years of marriage, Butch and Diane embodied the love that many dream of. They created joy and embraced opportunity as they built a life together, and when challenges came their way, they could lean on one another and trust in each other’s compassion and support.
In the 1990s, Butch and Diane took two of their grandsons, Justin and Keith, into their care, raising the boys as their own children.
While generally viewed as reserved, Butch was a patriot who took great pride in being of service to his country. He was a decorated soldier in the United States Army’s 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery Regiment during the Vietnam War.
Like many Vietnam veterans, Butch faced significant health complications. In 1982, he was given mere months to live, but Butch embodied a superhuman resilience (those closest to him affectionately called it “stubbornness”.) He fought through more health battles than people could fathom, with his cases being featured in more than one medical journal along the way. At the end, he stayed true to the grit he had shown for 40 years. When doctors told him that he had one or two days left, he stuck with us for seven.
When you are told at a relatively young age that your lifespan is limited, it changes things. Butch took life one day at a time, and he lived most days like they might be his last. He dedicated his energy to the people he loved, making ornate gardens with Diane, lending a helping hand however he could, and bringing play into a world that can be far too serious. They say laughter is the best medicine, and while that is certainly cliché, Butch’s sense of humor and playful pranks kept people on their toes, brought them together, and helped them through difficult times.
Each May, he reflected on the gift of a lifesaving liver transplant he received. He encouraged others to consider making the gift of organ donation one of their known wishes and expressed his deep gratitude for the added years of joy he was able to experience in both small moments and milestones that he shared with the love of his life, Diane, and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Butch’s talents went beyond his status as a “medical marvel.” His friends and family referred to him as a “Renaissance man.” He had a passion for automobiles and had a knack for working out mechanical issues. He appreciated nature and took beautiful photos, was highly skilled at woodworking, built and renovated homes, was an exceptional marksman, painted proficiently in a variety of styles, and could haggle like nobody’s business. In fact, the only thing he didn’t seem to do well was cut girls’ bangs (hint: they shrink when they dry), though in all fairness, he probably would have been good at that too if he’d been given a second chance.
Butch was preceded in death by his father Harold C. Kipp, his mother Lorraine E. (Hatfield) Kipp, and his younger sisters Shirleen Maconi and Patricia “Patty” Raimann. He is survived by his wife Diane, his son Chad (Bibiana) Kipp, his daughter Dawn Clark, and his son Darin (Beth) Zenkner, along with many beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Butch touched many lives, and the world was more beautiful for having him in it. His family, friends and neighbors will miss him dearly.
A celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Butch with your time by reviewing your organ donor status. In Washington state, this is indicated by a heart on your driver’s license, permit or ID card. To sign up to be an organ donor, go to www.organdonor.gov/sign-up.
You can also honor his memory by learning something new. Both organ donation and continuous learning had great meaning in Butch’s life.
To view the obituary, please go to chronline.com/obituaries.
